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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29721741">The Chaos Chronicles: Book 1</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Rarest_Sexiest_Coinkydink/pseuds/The_Rarest_Sexiest_Coinkydink'>The_Rarest_Sexiest_Coinkydink</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Chaos Chronicles [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who, Doctor Who &amp; Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Mystery, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:02:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>107,433</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29721741</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Rarest_Sexiest_Coinkydink/pseuds/The_Rarest_Sexiest_Coinkydink</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally posted on fanfiction.net under the same name. </p>
<p>The Doctor rarely travels alone. When he meets Rose, he already has a companion: Eris, a peculiar young woman that views the Doctor as a father figure and is most definitely no ordinary human. The trio make a great team, but something is coming for them. Something that at first, doesn't seem to matter. Who are Bad Wolf and the Enyo Campaign? What is the universe planning for Eris?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Chaos Chronicles [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2184360</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Rose</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This work was originally posted on fanfiction.net under the same title and username. </p>
<p>Disclaimer: I clearly do not own Doctor Who. If I did, I probably wouldn't be doing a medical degree right now. </p>
<p>This book is complete, and the second one is in progress - updates may be sporadic due to my other commitments. </p>
<p>Love, Azzie</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is a customer announcement. The store will be closing in five minutes. Thank you.” </p>
<p>Rose sighed, rubbing her eyes as she watched the last few customers shuffle out of the shop. She let her mind wander as she carried out the familiar routine of rearranging misplaced stock, gathering her bag and clocking out; she would’ve daydreamed the whole way across Trafalgar Square had it not been for the security guard thrusting a small plastic bag under her nose as she tried to leave. Snatching it and heading for the lift, she decided that she was far too tired to check the basement properly. It would be just as easy to shout for Wilson and leave the money in his office if he didn’t answer. </p>
<p>  “Wilson! I’ve got the lottery money. Look, I can’t hang about, it’s closing time.” Silence. And then, from the next section, a series of crashes. Switching on the light revealed clusters of mannequins between boxes of clothes, most of them decked out in the newest fashion pieces, ready for display. One particular dummy caught her attention from the corner of her eye, and she moved a few steps closer, frowning. It looked perfectly ordinary in a smart shirt and trousers, a tie hanging undone about its plastic neck. So why was she convinced that it had moved? </p>
<p>As Rose reached a hand out to poke the dummy’s blank plastic eye, the door to the storeroom slammed shut. She turned sharply, heart racing. <br/>  “Okay. Whoever it is playing games, this is enough. Shop’s closed and I wanna go home.” <br/>Her voice shook, and she could feel her legs doing the same. Closing her eyes, she took a moment to breathe. It was just kids, that’s all. Kids playing around, and it was probably Derek’s idea. He enjoyed those kinds of practical jokes. A harsh creak broke the silence and she opened her eyes - and wished she had made a run for it instead. The mannequins were moving, the plastic creaking increasing in volume as they walked, slow and stiff, towards her. She ran to the door, tugging desperately at the painted metal, arms straining. Nothing. It wouldn’t budge. She turned to face the plastic mob, back against the door, throwing her hands up to cover her face. </p>
<p>Suddenly, the door vanished and there was a hand on Rose’s shoulder, a large, warm human hand. The hand moved to link with her own and a man’s voice sounded in her ear. <br/>  “Run!” <br/>Her mysterious rescuer broke into a sprint and Rose followed, desperate to get away and deciding that trusting the man was probably less risky than stopping to ask questions. The service lift was open at the end of the corridor and they both hurled themselves into it, the dark-haired man punching at the button to close the doors. As the door slid closed, the jumper-clad arm of one of the plastic figures was trapped between them. Without a moment’s hesitation, the man grabbed the arm and pulled it clean off, tossing it to Rose who instinctively caught it, before dropping it in disgust. </p>
<p>  “You pulled his arm off!”<br/>The man looked at her, amused, before picking the arm up, brushing at a dirty smudge with the sleeve of his leather jacket. “Yep. Completely plastic.” He sounded Northern, but there was a hint of something else in his voice, something she couldn’t quite place. Rose scoffed, a little embarrassed that she’d been so scared of something so ordinary.<br/>  “Nice trick! Who were they then, students?”<br/>  “Why would they be students?” <br/>  “Well, to get that many people dressed up and being silly? Who else could it be?”<br/>The man pulled a face. “It’s not a bad theory, but they’re not students” <br/>  “Whoever they are, when Wilson finds them, he's going to call the police.” She hugged herself, trying to believe that her shudders were due to the cold, and not fear.<br/>He looked up from where he was fiddling with the arm. “Who's Wilson?”<br/>  “Chief electrician.”<br/>His voice became solemn and slightly harsh. “Wilson’s dead.” </p>
<p>The lift clunked to a halt in the hallway of the suppliers’ entrance at the back of the shop and the doors opened, revealing a figure leaning against the opposite wall, tweaking a few wires on what looked like a small portable radio. Ignoring Rose’s horrified expression, the man strode out of the lift, handing the plastic arm to his companion and taking the electrical box for himself. </p>
<p>  “That's not funny. That's sick!” Ready to rip him a new one, she opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind when the figure stepped forwards. It was a girl, about her age, with dark hair.  A blue-tipped silver tube was in her left hand, the plastic arm propped against her right shoulder. </p>
<p>  “Mind your eyes.” Unlike the man, this girl sounded like a Londoner, with a faint accent that sounded like it might have been born in a posh boarding school. She directed the tube at the lift mechanism and pressed a button. A short burst of sound was followed by the lift mechanism sparking and bursting briefly into flame. She passed the tube to the man, who tucked it into a pocket. </p>
<p>The mysterious duo moved towards the fire escape stairwell. Realising that they were trying to leave, Rose darted in front of them, desperate to know more about the people who had, if the man had been telling the truth about Wilson, probably saved her life. “Who are you, then? Who's that lot down there? I said, who are they?” The girl placed both hands on Rose’s shoulders and gently moved her out of their way, smiling reassuringly. <br/>  “They're made of plastic. Living plastic creatures. They're being controlled by a relay device in the roof, which would be a great big problem if I didn't have this.” As he spoke, the man held up the device that the girl had been playing with when they found her. It had a small screen with a flashing timer, and what looked like the bell from an alarm clock. As DIY as it looked, Rose was pretty sure she knew exactly what it was. “So, my friend and I are going to go up there and blow them up, and we might well die in the process, but don't worry about us. No, you go home. Go on. Go and have your lovely beans on toast and a nice cup of tea. Don't tell anyone about this, because if you do, you'll get them killed.” He turned and began walking up the stairs. <br/>  “Have a nice night!” The girl threw the plastic arm to Rose like her friend had done earlier and followed, closing the door behind them.</p>
<p>Rose stood for a moment, completely bewildered, when the door opened again and they were looking directly at her. <br/>  “I'm the Doctor, by the way, and this is Eris. What's your name?” <br/>Stammering a little, she answered. “I’m Rose.”<br/>The Doctor and Eris smiled. “Nice to meet you, Rose. Run for your life!”  The door slammed closed again, and after a moment, Rose ran. She stopped on the opposite side of the road, looking incredulously at the front of the shop and the red glare of the neon Henriks sign against the dark sky. A fireball surged from within and the building was swallowed, smoking and burning bright. In shock, Rose legged it down the nearest alley, desperate to get home. She didn’t notice the blue police box tucked in an alcove, fifty years later than it should have been. </p>
<p>*** </p>
<p>Ten o’clock the next morning, Rose was curled on the sofa in the living room of the flat, staring blankly at the television while her mum rattled on in the background, spouting off ideas about different jobs she could look for. She’d been talking almost non-stop since Rose got home, exaggerating the details to her friends over the phone. There had been a brief break when her boyfriend Mickey had dropped in to check on her, but she’d told him that he could go to the pub and catch the last part of the football match that was being shown. Thankfully, he’d taken the hideous plastic arm with him and binned it on the way. </p>
<p>A familiar rattling broke Rose out of her stupor, and she dragged herself towards the front door, groaning. “Mum, you're such a liar. I told you to nail that cat flap down. We're going to get strays.” <br/>Her mum’s voice was slightly muffled through the bedroom walls. “I did it weeks back!”<br/>The witty response died on her tongue as she saw the six screws that had been used to secure the cat flap, lying in a neat row on the welcome mat. Cautious, she stooped to look through the flap - and jolted back when the face of the Doctor appeared. She opened the door. He stood up, turning to his left and calling out, “It’s this one.” Eris appeared next to him. “What're you doing here?” Before Rose could answer, Eris rolled her eyes and pointed out the obvious. “She lives here, Doctor.”<br/>  “Well, what do you do that for?” He frowned. <br/>  “Because I do. I'm only at home because someone blew up my job.” The Doctor shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the glare that had accompanied the end of Rose’s comment. At least Eris had the decency to look a little sheepish. <br/>The Doctor smacked the silver tube he’d used the night before against the palm of his hand.“I must have got the wrong signal. You're not plastic, are you? No, bonehead. Bye, then.” He turned to leave but Rose reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. The look on her face was a clear indication that she definitely wasn’t taking no for an answer. <br/>  “You. Inside. Right now.”<br/>Hands up in surrender, the Doctor complied, Eris following him in and closing the door behind them. </p>
<p>  “Who is it?” Her mum called to Rose from the vanity in her bedroom, rifling through her collection of lipstick. Rose leant against the door frame, internally praying that she wouldn’t embarrass either of them. <br/>  “It's about last night. They’re part of the inquiry. Give us ten minutes.” <br/>Eris stood next to Rose, hands behind her back. The girl was about as tall as Rose was and actually looked like she belonged with an inquiry - unlike the Doctor, who was wearing the same leather jacket as he had been yesterday. Eris was in black trousers, a pale blue shirt, and a grey waistcoat, her dark brown hair tucked into a simple bun. There was an air of elegance about her, which was completely opposite to the Doctor’s vibe of casual disorder. <br/>  “I’m Jackie. You look young to be working on something like this, do you reckon there would be anything available for Rose with your company?” Jackie smiled. <br/>Eris returned the smile, “I’m pretty new to this, you’d be better asking my boss.” On cue, the Doctor popped his head around the door frame before stepping fully into view, and Rose led Eris through to the living room. </p>
<p>Jackie was blushing a little, toying with the edge of her silk robe. “I'm in my dressing gown.” <br/>  “Yes, you are.” The Doctor looked a little confused.<br/>  “There's a strange man in my bedroom.”<br/>  “Yes, there is.”<br/>  “Well, anything could happen.”<br/>Jackie’s implications became obvious and the Doctor backtracked, smiling politely, “No.” before walking swiftly to join the girls. </p>
<p>The television was still switched on as the visitors looked around the living room, which was endearingly messy with books and magazines piled in different places and trinkets gathered on shelves and sideboards. Rose was in the kitchen, filling the kettle. “Don't mind the mess. Do either of you want a coffee?”<br/>  “Might as well, thanks. Just milk.” The Doctor replied, perusing a copy of Heat magazine. <br/>Eris shook her head, peeking at Rose’s passport, which had been left next to a photo of her and a friend on holiday. “I’m fine, thanks anyway.” <br/>  “We should go to the police. Seriously. All of us.” Rose tried to make conversation, oblivious to the fact that they were no longer paying attention. <br/>  “That won't last, he's gay and she's an alien.” The Doctor showed Eris an article in the magazine and she pulled a face. <br/>  “Really? I thought they were quite sweet.” <br/>  “Nah, no chance.” He tossed the magazine over his shoulder, almost hitting Eris in the face, and picked up a paperback, flicking quickly through the pages. “Sad ending.” <br/>  “I'm not blaming you, even if it was just a joke that went wrong.” As Rose spoke, the sound of the hairdryer being switched on in Jackie’s room muffled the other conversation slightly.<br/>The Doctor was examining his face closely in the mirror, looking at it as though it was completely new to him. Which, as it happens, it was. “Ah, could've been worse. Look at the ears.” He pulled a few faces, then grimaced as Eris landed a sharp flick on his left ear. She gave him an expression of pure innocence as she returned to the pack of cards she was messing with, deftly executing a Sybil cut and flicking the cards around so quickly her fingers were almost a blur. “What do you think of this one?” He almost sounded afraid of the answer. <br/>  “It suits you. And the ears really aren’t that bad.” She passed the cards to him and headed towards the kitchen.<br/>He attempted a similar shuffle, and the cards scattered over the floor. Perhaps it was best to leave them alone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>  “Anyway, if we are going to go to the police, I want to know what I'm saying.” Entering the small kitchen, Eris leaned against the opposite counter while Rose made the coffee, watching the blonde carefully. She looked a little tense, a slight frown creasing her forehead. She turned, pointing a finger at Eris as she put the milk back in the fridge.“I want you two to explain everything.”<br/>Rattling from the cat flap caught the Doctor’s attention. “What's that, then? Have you got a cat?”<br/>  “No. Used to have one, but that was years ago.” <br/>Unfortunately, something far more deadly than a cat was trying to get in. Upon opening the flap, the beige plastic arm of the mannequin shot forwards and latched onto the Doctor’s neck, squeezing as he staggered back to the living room. <br/>  “We just get strays from the estate now.” Oblivious, Rose kept talking as she took the coffee in and set the two mugs down on one of the shelves. In the background, the Doctor struggled with the hand, trying to catch Eris’ attention while she was browsing a tattered recipe book. </p>
<p>Glancing up briefly, Rose snorted. “I told Mickey to chuck that out. You're all the same. Give a man a plastic hand. Anyway, I don't even know your name. Doctor, what was it?” As she turned, he managed to wrestle the arm from his neck and push it away, leaving her in the path of the plastic menace as its fingers kept flexing. It grabbed at Rose’s face and she shouted; Eris ran in and pulled at the arm while the Doctor searched for the sonic screwdriver. Finding it, he jammed it against the back of the plastic hand, then in the centre of the palm once it had detached from Rose’s face. The jerking flex of the fingers slowed, then stopped, and it lay inanimate, as though it had never moved at all. <br/>  “It's all right, I've stopped it. There you go, you see? Armless.”<br/>Rose looked at him, incredulous. “Do you think?” Wrenching it from his hands, she whacked him across the shoulder with it. <br/>  “Oi!” <br/>Next to her, Eris snorted. Rubbing his shoulder, the Doctor grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the flat. Hearing their shoes on the stairs, Rose followed. She caught up as they left the building, following the path through the park towards the houses on the other side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  “Hold on a minute. You can't just go swanning off!”<br/>  “Yes we can. Here we are. This is us, swanning off. See you.”<br/>  “But that arm was moving. It tried to kill me.”<br/>Eris raised her eyebrows slightly. “Ten points for observation, Miss Tyler.” <br/>  “You can't just walk away!” The pair glanced at each other and upped the pace a little, walking a couple of metres in front of Rose. “That's not fair. You've got to tell me what's going on.”<br/>  “No, I don't.” The Doctor called back. </p>
<p>  “All right, then. I'll go to the police. I'll tell everyone. You said, if I did that, I'd get people killed. So, your choice. Tell me, or I'll start talking.” Rose hoped it sounded as intimidating out loud as it had done in her head. <br/>They stopped, looking back at her, slightly bemused. “Is that supposed to sound tough?” <br/>  “Sort of.”<br/>The Doctor laughed. “Doesn't work.”<br/>Rose sighed, walking towards them. “Who are you?”<br/>  “He told you. The Doctor and Eris.” Her response was smooth and calm, but Rose noticed Eris fiddling with a silver chain that ran between her waistcoat pocket and the waistband of her trousers. Was she nervous? She decided to push on. <br/>  “Yeah, but Doctor what?”<br/>  “Just the Doctor.” His smile could probably charm birds out of the trees. <br/>  “The Doctor.” Rose was trying - and failing - to keep the incredulity out of her voice. <br/>His grin widened (if that was even possible) and he waved cheerily. “Hello!”<br/>  “Is that supposed to sound impressive?” <br/>  “He thinks it does.” Eris nudged the Doctor in the ribs, a gesture he returned playfully. Watching them interact, Rose was struggling to figure them out. Were they related? A couple? Close friends? They gave very little away, and she didn’t want to ask. Last time she’d managed to offend a friend who’s partner was around twenty years older than her by asking if he was her uncle. “Come on, then. You can tell me. I've seen enough. Are you the police?” If they were police, they certainly didn’t act like the officers that turned up to deal with noise complaints on the estate from time to time. <br/>  “No, I was just passing through. I'm a long way from home.” At the mention of home, his eyes darkened for a moment, a surge of emotion surfacing briefly before settling again. Eris rested a hand on his shoulder, and Rose realised she’d probably touched a nerve. Quickly, she changed the subject. <br/>  “But what have I done wrong? How come those plastic things keep coming after me?”The Doctor laughed in response, his face relaxing more. <br/> “Oh, suddenly the entire world revolves around you. You were just an accident. You got in the way, that's all.”<br/>Rose couldn’t help sounding a little indignant. “It tried to kill me!”<br/>Eris held her hands up placatingly. “It was after us, not you, honestly. Last night, in the shop, we were there, you ended up in the middle of things. This morning, we were tracking it down, it was tracking us down. The only reason it fixed on you is because you’ve been with us. It really is nothing to do with you.”<br/>A sly smile spread across Rose’s face. “So what you're saying is, the entire world revolves around you two.”<br/>Eris and the Doctor burst out in laughter, before answering simultaneously. “Sort of, yeah.”<br/>  “You're full of it!” Their good humour was infectious and she found herself laughing along with them. <br/>  “Sort of, yeah.”<br/>  “But, all this plastic stuff. Who else knows about it?”<br/>  “Nobody.” Eris’ cool air of professionalism returned, banishing the light atmosphere that had previously been between the three of them. Things were serious. <br/>  “What, you're on your own? It’s just you two?”  <br/>  “Well, who else is there? I mean, you lot, all you do is eat chips, go to bed, and watch telly, while all the time, underneath you, there's a war going on. Tiny minds never notice the big picture” The Doctor’s tone was a little condescending and Eris frowned. <br/>  “That’s rude! And in case you’d forgotten, I’m far more like those ‘tiny minds’ as you call them than I am like you.” <br/>Slightly ashamed, he apologised, and Rose could almost taste the awkwardness in the air. <br/>  “Right. Start from the beginning. I mean, if we're going to go with the living plastic, and I don't even believe that, but if we do, how did you kill it?”<br/>Glad for the distraction, the Doctor answered, his voice taking an almost lecturing tone. “The thing controlling it projects life into the arm. I cut off the signal, dead.”<br/>There was a pause. “So that's radio control?” <br/>  “Thought control.” He corrected her. Rose frowned. “Are you all right?”<br/>  “Yeah. So, who's controlling it, then?”<br/>Eris sighed, shifting where she stood. “That’s a long story.”<br/>  “But what's it all for? I mean, shop window dummies, what's that about? Is someone trying to take over Britain's shops?” That elicited a laugh from them both. <br/>  “No.” They started to walk again, albeit slower than before. Rose drew level with them, waiting for either of them to finish the point. <br/>  “It's not a price war. They want to overthrow the human race and destroy you. Do you believe me?” It was odd; the explanation was utterly ludicrous and yet, the seriousness in the Doctor’s voice made it almost believable. Almost. <br/>  “Not really.”<br/>  “But you're still listening.” Eris sounded impressed and slightly proud that she was giving them a chance. Her expression reminded Rose of the way that her mother would look at her when she suggested that she wanted to try something new. It was slightly unsettling to see that same look on a face the same age as hers, but she brushed it off. <br/>  “Really, though, Doctor. Tell me, who are you?”<br/>They stopped once again. Eris walked a little further ahead of them and leant against the railing that surrounded the park, holding the arm, looking at a tall blue police box standing on the corner of the road. The Doctor began to speak, and within seconds Rose was hanging off his every word. “Do you know how we were saying about the Earth revolving? It's like when you were a kid. The first time they tell you the world's turning and you just can't quite believe it because everything looks like it's standing still. I can feel it. The turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling round the sun at sixty seven thousand miles an hour, and I can feel it. We're falling through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go.” At some point, he had grasped one of her hands between both of his so when he let go to emphasise this point, a curious emotion settled over her like a blanket. She felt fuzzy, a little hollow, and couldn’t pinpoint the word for how she was feeling. “That's who I am. That’s who we are. Now, forget us, Rose Tyler. We don’t matter. Go home.”</p>
<p>She watched, a little dazed, as the Doctor strode towards Eris, taking the arm from her. He used it to wave at Rose before turning in the direction of the blue police box, falling into step with the brunette. Turning back towards home, Rose walked for maybe two hundred metres before a noise stopped her in her tracks, a wheezing groan that raised the hairs on her neck. Running back towards the corner where the odd pair had left her, they were nowhere to be seen. And oddly, the blue box that had been standing on the corner of the road had vanished too. </p>
<p>*** <br/>Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor was attaching the arm to different pieces of equipment on the console, huffing occasionally and glancing over at the screen. He’d taken off the jacket and thrown it carelessly over one of the coral buttresses, which he was glad he had done when the arm melted into a sticky pool of skin-coloured plastic while he was holding it and dripped onto the grating of the floor, leaving plasticky patches on his forearms. Wiping the residue off, he slung the jacket on and looked at the data he’d collected. It wasn’t enough. </p>
<p>Eris appeared on one of the balconies, leaning against the railing. “Did we get what we needed?” The soft ring of her boots against the metal floor echoed around the console room as she made her way down to him. <br/>  “No. The arm is too basic. We need something more complex.” <br/>The Doctor looked her over while she read the information on the screen. She’d swapped smart trousers for jeans and her shirt for a dark green jumper. Her hair was loose over her shoulders and glimmered with ginger threads in the warm light of the console room. Some things had stayed: the silver chain, on which he knew a pocket watch was attached, was slung between the waistband and the pocket of her jeans; on the collar of her jumper was a tiny silver question mark pin. She looked younger than she had earlier and certainly younger than she really was. <br/>  “Like what?” It had taken her a few minutes to decipher the complex circles on the TARDIS display, which was pretty impressive. Gallifreyan was not an easy language, and she hadn’t been learning it for long. <br/>  “Like a head, maybe a torso. Head would be easier though. Lighter to lug about.” </p>
<p>There was peaceful silence for a few minutes as each of them fiddled with different bits of the console. That was one of his favourite things about Eris, the Doctor decided. There was no pressure to talk, no need for there to be noise. They were able to exist in companionable quiet. Considering that most humans seemed to have a burning desire to talk the ears off whatever was closest to them, he enjoyed the difference. Certainly, most of his previous companions had been very talkative, so having Eris around was always a breath of fresh air. They’d spent many hours together in the past, revelling in the quietness once all of the others had gone to bed or gone home. </p>
<p>  “I think we need to keep an eye on Rose.” She folded her arms across her chest. “She’s seen them twice now, so they’ll be keeping an eye on her. She could be in more danger than we think.” <br/>The Doctor frowned. He didn’t fancy babysitting one human just because she’d gotten in their way a couple of times.<br/>  “Let’s focus on finding ourselves a head for now. If she ends up bumping into us again then we can worry about her.” <br/> Eris sighed. “Alright, dad. Where do we start looking?” </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Arriving at Mickey’s flat, Rose accepted the offer of a coffee and pressed a kiss to her boyfriend’s cheek. It was a little bit of normality after the insanity of the events of the last two days. But she wasn’t going to forget about her new acquaintances either. “Can I use your computer?” <br/>  “Sure.” She could hear Mickey washing the cups out in the kitchen, As she sat at his computer and opened a new search page, she heard him shout, “Don’t read my emails!” </p>
<p>Half an hour later and Rose had almost given up hope of finding anything on either of them. She hadn’t expected to find the Doctor on social media but it was a little surprising that Eris hadn’t appeared on Bebo or Myspace, especially as hers was quite an unusual name. On second thought, she realised that, as Eris hadn’t given her a last name, it would be even harder to find her. All the searches she tried for ‘Doctor’ and ‘plastic’ just gave her results for cosmetic surgeons. As a last resort, she typed in ‘Doctor blue box’. The first link she clicked led her to an amateurish website that looked like a teenager had set it up, with a series of clickable links and a bold header: ‘Have you seen this man?’ Scrolling to the photo, she froze. It was him. Without a doubt, it was him. Digging her phone out of her pocket, Rose called the number listed on the website. </p>
<p>Mickey came in with the coffee as Rose was hanging up. “Anyone interesting?” He put the mugs down and sat on his bed, looking confused when Rose stood up. <br/>  “I need to visit someone. Will you take me?” </p>
<p>The whole way to Clive’s house, Rose and Mickey had argued. They were still arguing while parked on the road where he lived. “You're not coming in. He's got a wife and kids, he’s safe!”<br/>Mickey rolled his eyes. “Yeah, who told you that? He did. That's exactly what an internet lunatic murderer would say.”<br/>Getting out of the car, Rose slammed the door to prove a silent point and walked confidently to the door, very nearly colliding with a man putting his bin out. Upon knocking, a teenage boy answered, looking sceptical. <br/>  “Hello, I've come to see Clive? We spoke on the phone about half an hour ago.” She was struck by a sudden nervousness. What if this was the wrong house? Worse, what if Mickey was right? <br/>The boy simply sighed and shouted back into the house. “Dad! It's one of your nutters!”</p>
<p>  “Oh, sorry. Hello. You must be Rose. I'm Clive, obviously.” He shook her hand, and Rose relaxed a little. <br/>  “I'd better tell you now. My boyfriend's waiting in the car, just in case you're going to kill me.”<br/>Clive laughed it off and waved at Mickey, who stared back sullenly. “No, good point. No murders. Please come through. I’m in the shed.” She followed him in. </p>
<p>Clive’s shed looked like it had been taken out of a TV show, with images and handwritten notes covering the walls, some pieces linked with string, others connected by thick arrows drawn in marker. “A lot of this stuff's quite sensitive. I couldn't just send it to you. People might intercept it if you know what I mean. If you dig deep enough, this Doctor keeps cropping up all over the place. Political diaries, conspiracy theories, even ghost stories. No first name, no last name, just the Doctor. Always The Doctor. And the title seems to have been passed down from father to son, some sort of inheritance. That's your Doctor there, isn't it?” He dug out a handful of photos from one of the many piles on the table and spread them out, pointing at the photo that had been on the webpage. <br/>  “Yeah.” <br/>  “You mentioned a girl too, dark hair?” <br/>  “Yeah, Eris. If you’ve got photos of her too, why didn’t you put them on the website?” <br/>Clive looked a little uncomfortable. “I did when I first started making links between her and the Doctor. But I had a few blokes come in wanting photos of her for… other reasons.” <br/>An awkward silence fell as Rose realised what he meant. Clive picked up one of the papers, anxious to change the subject. <br/>  “I tracked this down to the Washington public archive just last year. There’s the original, and the enhanced one is the one I put on the website.” <br/>The Doctor and Eris were two of many faces in a large crowd gathered by a roadside, watching a procession of cars drive by. Any other cars, and the picture would have been pretty insignificant. But considering the cars, and the people inside them, it was rather striking. <br/>  “November 22nd, 1963. The assassination of President Kennedy. Do you see the similarities?”<br/>Rose nodded. “They’re practically identical.” <br/>Another photo was laid out. “This is further back. April 1912. This is a photo of the Daniels family of Southampton, and friends. This was taken the day before they were due to sail off for the New World on the Titanic, and for some unknown reason, they cancelled the trip and survived. Obviously, the photo quality isn’t as good as the first because of the time, but it’s certainly them.” </p>
<p>A couple of sketches caught Rose’s attention. “What about these?” <br/> Clive seemed particularly enthralled by these pieces. “These are the most interesting, I think. 1883. A sketch of a man named only as the Doctor. This one washed up on the coast of Sumatra on the very day Krakatoa exploded. Compare it to the photos: the resemblance is undeniable.” <br/>  “This is from the same year - and five and half thousand kilometres away.” The picture was a piece of stunning Japanese artwork, and the subject could only be Eris. The artist had managed to capture the playful shine in her eyes and the innate grace in her posture in a way that almost made her seem alive on the page. How could it be her? How could either of them be in pieces of art from over 120 years ago? <br/>Clive spoke again, in hushed tones, as though he was afraid of being overheard. “The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history. And Eris - she’s almost a fairytale. There are stories from all over the world that match her description. But her reputation is nothing compared to the Doctor’s. Because when disaster comes, he's there. He brings the storm in his wake and he has one constant companion.”<br/>  “Who's that?”<br/>  “Death.”<br/>Rose took a step away, disturbed by the seriousness of Clive’s voice. He sounded like he truly believed what he was saying. <br/>   “If the Doctor's back, if you've seen him, Rose, then one thing's for certain. We're all in danger. If he's singled you out, if the Doctor's making house calls, then God help you.” <br/>More than a little frightened, Rose tried to keep the tremor out of her voice as she spoke.<br/>  “But who are they? Who do you think they are?”<br/>Clive locked eyes with her. “I think they’re the same people. I think they’re immortal. I think they’re aliens from another world. I’ve found poems and diary entries from centuries ago and almost every country that seem to refer to Eris and describe her as an angel, a guardian. But if she’s an angel, the Doctor is most certainly a devil.” </p>
<p>Half running, Rose made her way back towards the car and flopped into the passenger seat. “All right, he's a nutter. Off his head. Complete online conspiracy freak. You win! What are we going to do tonight? I fancy a pizza.”<br/>She was so unnerved by her conversation with Clive that she failed to notice the unnatural sheen on Mickey’s face, the stiffness of his posture and the stuttering repetition of his words, even as they drove towards the restaurant. </p>
<p>Rose rambled aimlessly at Mickey, hoping he’d pick out one of the things she mentioned and convince her to try that. She’d mentioned hospital jobs and the idea of doing A-Levels before Mickey interrupted her. <br/>  “So, where did you meet this Doctor?”<br/>Rose was a little offended. Here she was, having a life crisis, and all her boyfriend could think about was a stranger. “I'm sorry, wasn't I talking about me for a second?”<br/>  “Because I reckon it started back at the shop, am I right? Was he something to do with that? What about Eris, was that her too?” He was completely disregarding Rose’s words.<br/>  “No.”<br/>  “Come on.”<br/>She relented. “Sort of.”<br/>  “What were they doing there?”<br/>  “I'm not going on about it, Mickey. Really, I'm not, because, I know it sounds daft, but I don't think it's safe. I think he's dangerous. And as nice as Eris seemed, if she’s hanging around with him then she’s probably dodgy too. ”<br/>Mickey’s response was unusual, a far cry from his usual reassuring sweet talk. “But you can trust me, sweetheart. Babe, sugar, babe, sugar. You can tell me anything. Tell me about the Doctor and what he's planning, and I can help you, Rose. Because that's all I really want to do, sweetheart, babe, babe, sugar, sweetheart.”<br/>Rose frowned. “What're you doing that for?”</p>
<p>A waitress appeared by her elbow. “Your champagne.”<br/>  “We didn't order any champagne. Where's the Doctor?”<br/>  “Madam, your champagne.”<br/>Rose brushed the waitress off without thinking. “It's not ours. Mickey, what is it? What's wrong?”<br/>  “I need to find out how much you know, so where is he?”<br/>A male voice replaced that of the waitress, “Doesn't anybody want this champagne?”<br/>  “Look, we didn't order it.” Mickey glared up at the interfering voices, straight at Eris and the Doctor. “Gotcha.”<br/>Eris started to shake the champagne bottle, “Don't mind me. I'm just toasting the happy couple. On the house!” before releasing the wire cage and allowing the cork to pop, sending it flying straight into Mickey’s forehead, where it was promptly absorbed. He made an odd chewing motion and spat out the remains, while Rose looked on in horror. </p>
<p>Mickey stood up, transforming his hand into a wide, flat slab with sharp edges. Eris reacted instantly, tossing the champagne bottle away and pulling Rose towards the exit with the other screaming customers while the Doctor grappled with the facsimile. There was a brief struggle, in which the Doctor managed to pull off the head. There was a moment of silence. The head opened its eyes. “Don't think that's going to stop me.”<br/>   “Everyone out! Out now! Get out! Get out!” Eris’ voice spurred the rest of the customers into action once again and everybody ran, very conscious of the headless body still wreaking havoc behind them. <br/>Rose and the Doctor followed Eris through the kitchens carrying the head, picking up the speed when the body entered the kitchen behind them. Breaking into the courtyard, Rose headed straight for the gates while Eris untucked the TARDIS key from her jumper and unlocked the doors, entering and preparing the console to scan the head. The Doctor was securing the kitchen doors.</p>
<p>  “Open the gate! Use that tube thing. Come on!” Rose was yanking at the chains furiously. <br/>In comparison, the Doctor sounded ridiculously calm. “Sonic screwdriver.”<br/>  “I don’t care! Use it!”<br/>  “Nah. Tell you what, here’s open, let's go in here.” <br/>He sauntered into the TARDIS, dumping the head on the console and linking it to several wires. <br/>  “You can't hide inside a wooden box. It's going to get us! Doctor!”<br/>When he didn’t answer, Rose ran once around the box, aware of the dents forming in the metal door. Deciding to trust them once again, she stumbled into the box, slamming the doors closed behind her. </p>
<p>  “It's going to follow us!”<br/>Eris looked up from the console, mildly amused. The very first time, she’d thought so too. <br/>  “The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door, and believe me, they've tried. Now, shut up a minute.” The Doctor sounded more Northern than before, if that was even possible. Rose stared at the room she found herself in, her brain struggling to cope with the sight before her. The room was impossibly large, with numerous gangways and balconies along the high, curved walls. It was a bizarre mixture of organic and industrial, with coral-like columns from floor to ceiling combined with a console that was covered in random pieces of equipment and countless pipes and wires crossing everywhere. <br/>  “The head's perfect. I can use it to trace the signal back to the original source. Right. Where do you want to start?”<br/>Rose decided to start with the most glaringly obvious thing. “Er, the inside's bigger than the outside?”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “It's alien.”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>  “Are you two aliens?” Crazy Clive might have been right after all. <br/>Eris moved to stand next to Rose. “He is. I’m not.” <br/>  “But the photos of you! The art!” <br/> Eris smiled knowingly. “I’m just different. I’ll explain later when we haven’t got important things to sort out. <br/>  “Okay. So what is this?” <br/>The Doctor beamed. “It's called the Tardis, this thing. T A R D I S. That's Time And Relative Dimension In Space.”<br/>Something snapped inside Rose and she burst into tears, covering her face with her hands. She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, rubbing her side comfortingly. <br/>  “That's okay. Culture shock. Happens to the best of us.”<br/>  “Did they kill him? Mickey? Did they kill Mickey? Is he dead?”<br/>The Doctor looked ashamed. “Oh. I didn't think of that.”<br/>  “He's my boyfriend! You pulled off his head.” The disgust in her voice was palpable. “They copied him and you didn't even think? And now you're just going to let him melt?”<br/>  “What?!” The Doctor turned to see that the copy of Mickey’s head was, in fact, oozing over the controls. “Oh, no, no, no, no, no!” He darted frantically around the hexagonal console and Eris joined him, swinging the screen round to look at the data they’d been able to gather. <br/>  “What're you two doing?”<br/>  “Following the signal. It's fading. Wait a minute, I've got it. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Almost there. Almost there. Here we go!” There was an audible thud as the wheezing stopped, and the Doctor ran for the door. <br/>  “You can't go out there, it’s not safe!” Rose followed, leaving Eris in the TARDIS. </p>
<p>Night had fallen, and the police box was tucked neatly in front of the RAF monument on the bank of the Thames. The Doctor was grumbling. <br/>  “I lost the signal, I got so close.”<br/>Rose looked about in disbelief. “We've moved. Does it fly?”<br/>  “Disappears there and reappears here. You wouldn't understand.” <br/>  “If we're somewhere else, what about that headless thing? It's still on the loose.”<br/>  “It melted with the head. Are you going to witter on all night?” The exasperation was rolling off the Doctor in waves. It was times like this that he remembered how irritating humans could really be. <br/> Rose’s anger surged again. “I'll have to tell his mother. Mickey. I'll have to tell his mother he's dead, and you just went and forgot him, again! You were right, you are alien.” <br/>  “Look, if I did forget some kid called Mickey -”<br/>  “Hey, he's not a kid!”<br/>  “It's because I'm trying to save the life of every stupid ape blundering on top of this planet, all right?” The Doctor exploded suddenly, throwing his hands in the air. <br/>  “All right.”<br/>  “Yes, it is!”</p>
<p>There was a slightly uncomfortable silence. <br/>  “If you are an alien, how come you sound like you're from the North?”<br/>An emotion between amusement and frustration crossed the Doctor’s face. “Lots of planets have a north.”<br/>  “What's a police public call box?” It seemed like an unlikely shape for a spaceship, not to mention the size. Rose still wasn’t quite convinced that what she’d just seen hadn’t been an elaborate illusion, like the types TV magicians performed. <br/>The Doctor looked proud of himself as he answered. “It's a telephone box from the 1950s. It's a disguise.” <br/>Rose shook her head. “Okay. And this, this living plastic. What's it got against us?”<br/>  “Nothing. It loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins in the air, perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness and the Autons. Its food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, so Earth, dinner!”<br/>  “How do you stop it?” There had to be a way, or he wouldn’t be here. What would be the point in coming to a different planet just to watch it end?<br/>The Doctor removed a tube of blue liquid from a pocket and held it up. “Anti-plastic. But first I've got to find it. How can you hide something that big in a city this small?”<br/>  “Hold on, you’ve lost me. Hide what?”<br/>  “The transmitter. The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic, so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal. Eris is trying to work with the data we got from the head but I don’t think it’ll give us enough detail. We’ll just have to find it the old fashioned way.”<br/>  “What's it look like?”<br/>  “Like a transmitter.” That got an eye roll from Rose. “Round and massive, slap bang in the middle of London. A huge circular metal structure like a dish, like a wheel. Radial. Close to where we're standing. Must be completely invisible.” <br/>Rose stared out to the opposite bank of the river. Surely it couldn’t be? But it certainly matched the description. <br/>The Doctor was trying to get her attention. “What? What is it? What?”<br/>Before she could answer, Eris hung out of the TARDIS doors. “The London Eye! It has to be.” <br/>The penny dropped and the Doctor grinned at the girls. “Oh. Fantastic!”</p>
<p>The trio sprinted across Westminster Bridge, talking between breaths. <br/>  “Think of it, plastic all over the world, every artificial thing waiting to come alive. The <br/>shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables.”<br/>  “The breast implants.” Eris and Rose piped up at the same time, pulling faces at each other as the implications hit. <br/>  “Still, we've found the transmitter. The Consciousness must be somewhere underneath.”<br/>Rose pointed to a manhole entrance by some steps. “What about down here?”<br/>  “Looks likely. Good spotting!” Eris swung over the handrail and dropped next to the manhole, not waiting for the others to catch up before opening the hatch and jumping into the reddish gloom below.</p>
<p>A glowing, amorphous blob was languishing in a large pit, surrounded by multiple levels of balcony.<br/>The Doctor lowered his voice to a whisper. “The Nestene Consciousness. That's it, inside the vat. A living plastic creature.”<br/>  “Well, then. Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go.” Rose shuddered. It was awful to look at, and the sooner they could leave, the better. <br/>  “I'm not here to kill it. I've got to give it a chance.” The Doctor approached the vat. “I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation.” <br/>The thing in the vat squelched ominously. <br/>  “Thank you. If I might have permission to approach?”<br/>Eris dug an elbow into Rose’s side, pointing to a hunched figure on a lower balcony. They ran down, Rose almost weeping with relief when she identified the person.<br/>  “Oh, God! Mickey, it's me! It's okay. It's all right. Doctor, they kept him alive!”<br/>He called back. “Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy.”<br/>  “You knew that and you never said?”<br/>  “Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?” His scathing tone became respectful, at least to begin with, as he faced the vat. <br/>  “Am I addressing the Consciousness? Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilisation by means of warp shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?” He glanced up at the balcony where the girls were with Mickey and grinned as Eris suppressed a laugh. “Oh, don't give me that. It's an invasion, plain and simple. Don't talk about constitutional rights. I am talking! This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf. Please, just go.”</p>
<p>From nowhere, a pair of Autons appeared, grabbing the Doctor and taking the anti-plastic from him. A hint of panic entered the Doctor’s voice. “That was just insurance. I wasn't going to use it. I was not attacking you. I'm here to help! I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not!” There was a pause as the consciousness appeared to speak. “What do you mean?” A door slid back, revealing the TARDIS.<br/>The Nestene and the Doctor’s voices overlapped. “No. Oh, no. Honestly, no. Yes, that's my ship. That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault. I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!” Eris looked concerned as the Doctor’s tone became more hysterical.<br/>  “What's it doing?!” <br/>As the Doctor struggled, Eris answered. “It's the Tardis! The Nestene's identified its superior technology. It's terrified. It's starting the invasion! Get out, Rose! Just go!” Rose panicked, grabbing her phone and ringing her mum. As her mum waffled on about a late night shopping trip, Rose looked over at Eris, who was crouched wide-eyed watching the creature below. She had one hand tightly gripping the key on her necklace. </p>
<p>As Jackie ended the call, large energy bolts began to surge between the vat and the walls, and the Doctor called up to his companions. “It's the activation signal. It's transmitting! Get out!”<br/>  “It's the end of the world.” Rose breathed, clinging to Mickey. Beside them, Eris watched as the plastic creature became more agitated and started lashing out, reaching ever closer to the Doctor. <br/>Suddenly, Eris grabbed Rose. “Get out, Rose! Just get out! Run!” <br/>  “The stairs have gone!” <br/>In response, Eris pulled the two humans towards the TARDIS, fumbled at the lock for a moment, then managed to open the door. <br/>Below them, the Nestene hissed, “Time Lord.”<br/>Mickey ran into the TARDIS, calling to the girls, “Just leave him! There's nothing you can do!”<br/>Eris lingered outside the TARDIS, looking like she wanted to run down to the Doctor. She looked terrified. <br/>Eyeing the chains against a nearby wall, Rose ran over to unhook them. <br/>  “What the hell are you doing?!” The desperation in Eris’ voice sent chills through Rose’s heart. <br/>  “I've got no A Levels, no job, no future. But I tell you what I have got. Jericho Street Junior School under 7s gymnastic team. I've got the bronze!” And with that she swung, kicking the two Autons into the vat along with the vial of anti-plastic, giving the Doctor the chance to run back to the TARDIS. As she swung back Eris grabbed the chain and pulled her back to the platform with surprising strength, before wrapping the blonde in a fierce hug. The Doctor reached them and shepherded them into the TARDIS in front of him, taking one last look at the combusting mass in the vat before closing the doors and starting the takeoff. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>The moment the TARDIS materialised on the Embankment, Mickey threw the doors open and ran, colliding with a some bins and standing behind them, as if they’d offer some sort of protection. Rose phoned Jackie to check that she was okay, only to hang up when her mother tried to explain about the ‘living mannequins’. She didn’t fancy getting told off for laughing at her over the phone.</p>
<p>The Doctor appeared in the doorway of the TARDIS with Eris, who was noticeably calmer than earlier even if her eyes were slightly red. Both smiled at Rose. She laughed, “A fat lot of good you were.”<br/>The Doctor pulled a face. “Nestene Consciousness? Easy.”<br/>  “You were useless. You'd be dead if it wasn't for me.”<br/>  “Yes, I would. Thank you.” There was a pause, until Eris cleared her throat.<br/>  “ Right then, we'll be off, unless… I don't know…  you could come with me. This box isn't just a London hopper, you know. It goes anywhere in the universe, free of charge.”<br/>Mickey spoke up, voice shaking. “Don't. He's an alien. He's a thing. And she probably is too.”<br/>  “He's not invited.” The sharp edge to the Doctor’s comment suggested that the decision was final. <br/>Eris’ softer voice balanced his harshness. “What do you think? You could stay here, fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go anywhere.”<br/>  “Is it always this dangerous?”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>It took her a moment to think. “Yeah, I can't. I've got to go and find my mum and someone's got to look after this stupid lump, so.”<br/>The pair in the TARDIS looked disappointed, but understanding. <br/>“Okay. See you around.” The Doctor waved before closing the doors. Rose and Mickey watched as the TARDIS vanished in front of them. </p>
<p>“Come on, let's go. Come on. Come on.” Rose began to pull Mickey down the alleyway when the noise she’d heard before, the wheezing groan, resounded in a strong crescendo and the TARDIS appeared once more. The Doctor stuck his head out from behind the door. <br/>  “By the way, did I mention it also travels in time?”<br/>Rose made up her mind, and turned to Mickey.<br/>  “Thanks.”<br/>  “Thanks for what?”<br/>  “Exactly.”<br/>Rose kissed Mickey gently, before turning and running into the TARDIS, grinning gleefully as the ship’s unusual residents darted around the controls, setting their course for the next destination.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The End of the World</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Because I forgot to mention it on the last one, the whole of book 1 is being uploaded today, as well as what I've already got written of book 2. </p><p>Enjoy! <br/>love, Azzie xx</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As Rose explored some of the inner corridors in the TARDIS, Eris and the Doctor were alone in the console room. The Doctor had given her an unnecessarily long route to the kitchen and silently asked the TARDIS to change a few of the corridors around so he’d have plenty of time to talk with his adopted daughter. Because even to a stranger, it would have been clear that Eris wasn’t alright. She stood with her arms folded over her chest, repeatedly flicking at the clasp of her pocket watch with her right hand, staring blankly at a point on the floor where two of the metal grating panels met. She’d been standing like that since they’d taken off. <br/>  “What’s wrong?” The Doctor rested with his back to the console beside her, mimicking her posture. <br/>  “That was too close for comfort, back there.” She almost sounded like she was holding back tears.<br/>  “We’ve been in worse places.” <br/>  “That’s not the point! You’re the only person alive who can even begin to understand what life is like for me!” Eris’ voice cracked a little and she stopped, clearing her throat. “It was bad enough that you vanished and left me on Earth for 200 years, I don’t know how I’ll manage if you end up dead and I’m on my own again.” <br/>The Doctor put an arm around her shoulders. He’d felt awful having to drop Eris back off on Earth, but even for her it would have been far too dangerous to stay. Besides, taking her home with him would have been practically impossible. <br/>  “You know why I left you. You know what I had to do.” <br/>  “I know. I just don’t want to be alone for the rest of my life, thanks. That's a harder idea to accept when you don’t know how long you’ll actually be around. Especially because I’m used to being with you.” <br/>He pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head comfortingly. “Trust me, I’ve got no intentions of leaving you alone. You’re the most tolerable humanoid I know, and we make a fantastic team. Don’t you think?” When she didn’t answer, he moved to stand in front of her, frowning. “There’s something else, isn’t there? Talk to me.” </p><p>Eris couldn’t meet the Doctor’s eyes as she answered, so quietly that even his excellent hearing struggled to pick it up. <br/>  “The Autons. They reminded me of… well, of him.” <br/>  “Oh.” <br/>  “Yeah.” <br/>The Time Lord looked like he was chewing a wasp after this revelation, and Eris spoke quickly, trying to diffuse the tension. <br/>  “It’s just… after everything that happened. All the times he appeared. It’s strange knowing we won’t see him again.” <br/>  “I know.” He sounded calm, and she relaxed. She hadn’t upset him too badly.</p><p>The sound of footsteps heading towards the console room ended the conversation and they broke apart, working the controls to land the TARDIS with ease. Rose appeared and the Doctor gestured to the door. “Go on then! You can lead this one.” Bounding down the stairs, she almost tripped as she made for the doors before stumbling into the unknown outside, the laughter from the others fading as the doors closed behind her. </p><p>Approaching a window that took up an entire wall of the plain room they’d landed in, Rose stopped in her tracks when she realised what she was looking at - the surface of the Earth. She was vaguely aware of her friends joining her, before the Doctor started to speak. <br/>  “You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year 5.5/Apple/26. Five billion years in your future, and this is the day -” He paused dramatically, checking his watch with a flourish. “This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world.” As if on cue, the sun swelled and darkened to a deep crimson. </p><p>The trio walked through the high-ceilinged corridor, listening to the announcements over the tannoy that heralded the arrival of other guests. <br/>  “So, when it says guests, does that mean people?”<br/>  “Depends what you mean by people.” Eris murmured, staring at the metallic features of their surroundings. <br/>  “I mean people. What do you mean?”<br/>  “Aliens!” The Doctor grinned, rubbing his hands together gleefully. <br/>  “What are they doing on board this spaceship? What's it all for?”<br/>   “It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn.” Absentmindedly, the Doctor directed the sonic screwdriver at a wall panel, making vague noises of interest as he examined the data it yielded. <br/>  “But why?” <br/>As they entered what was clearly an observation gallery, Eris spoke. <br/>  “Why does anyone do anything? For fun.”</p><p>As Eris wandered closer to the window, the Doctor and Rose were talking, discussing the fate of the human population. The blonde was struggling to wrap her head around the fact that all the humans had already left the planet and were scattered throughout the rest of the known universe when a blue skinned humanoid approached, looking a little perturbed by their presence. <br/>  “Who the hell are you?”<br/>  “Oh, that's nice, thanks.” The Doctor scoffed as Eris came to stand beside him, hands on hips. <br/>  “But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now.” The blue skinned man seemed rather agitated. <br/>Pulling a small leather wallet from a pocket, the Doctor thrust it under the man’s nose, showing a piece of paper that seemed completely blank. “That's me. We’re guests and we’ve got an invitation. You see? The Doctor and Eris Stewart plus one. I'm the Doctor, this is Eris and this is Rose Tyler. She's our plus one. Is that all right?”</p><p>The steward apologised before making his way to a lectern, announcing their attendance and ordering a small horde of petite workers into positions. Noticing Rose’s confusion, the Doctor explained. “The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time.”<br/>She looked at him, incredulous. “He's blue.”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>  “Okay.” Rose then turned to Eris. <br/>  “Is your last name really Stewart?” <br/>  “Nah.” Eris smiled softly, as though remembering something from long ago. “We had a friend named Stewart, a few years back. Well, he had lots of names, but Stewart is the most ordinary. He’s one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met, so I use it in his honour.” She nodded her head towards the Doctor. “If he uses an alias I tend to use the same one, just to make things easier. But when he doesn’t bother, I use Stewart.” </p><p>Meanwhile, the steward was making another announcement. “And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa.” A stunningly beautiful woman appeared, a living wooden sculpture, escorted by two burly, ligneous guards. Behind them, a squat blue alien entered on a transport pod, and was announced as the ‘Moxx of Balhoon’. Eris was watching Jabe’s graceful movements, awestruck. <br/>  “I’ve wanted to visit the Forest of Cheam for years! I wonder if Jabe can give us any visiting suggestions.” As she mused, the steward continued with his announcements introducing a group of black robed figures called the Adherents of the Repeated Meme.</p><p>The tree delegation approached them, and Rose exchanged glances with Eris, nervous. The brunette smiled reassuringly, tilting her head at the Doctor, who was already talking to the visitor. She mouthed at her, ‘Relax.”<br/>Jabe’s voice was low, soothing. “The Gift of Peace. I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather.”<br/>The Doctor accepted the twig in the plant pot and smiled, before passing it to Rose. <br/>  “Thank you. Yes, gifts. Er, I give you in return air from my lungs.” He exhaled gently, and Jabe looked slightly flustered. <br/>  “How intimate.”<br/>  “There's more where that came from.”<br/>  “I bet there is.”<br/>Rose held back a laugh as Eris looked mildly disgusted. As the trees moved on, Jabe glancing back at the Doctor, Eris glared at him. <br/>  “And you tell me off for flirting!” <br/>The Doctor shrugged. “At least I haven’t flirted with Casanova.” <br/>  “At least Casanova isn’t a tree!” <br/>  “No, he’s Casanova, which is far worse!”<br/>As the two continued bickering, the Face of Boe was introduced, and the Moxx of Balhoon approached to give his gift. Rose was still rubbing saliva from her eyes when the black robed Adherents approached, handing them a smooth silver ball. </p><p>Excitement rippled through the room as everyone watched the final guest enter the room. Rose gaped in shock. <br/>  “And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen.”<br/>The Lady Cassandra was nothing more than a pair of eyes and painted lips on a paper-thin sheet of skin, stretched across a metal frame. A brain bobbed serenely in a liquid filled tank below the frame, and on either side of her stood a humanoid in white scrubs. <br/>  “Reminds me of Morbius.” Eris muttered darkly. “He would’ve loved to end up looking like this instead of what he actually got.” <br/>The Doctor rolled his eyes as he remembered that particular trip; it hadn’t been much fun for either of them - or poor Sarah Jane, for that matter. <br/>Before Rose could ask what they meant, the Lady Cassandra spoke, her voice pompous and slightly nasal. Which didn’t seem possible, considering that she didn’t have a nose.</p><p>  “Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturise me. Moisturise me.” An attendant sprayed her with a fine mist from a long-necked pump bottle. “Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honour them and say goodbye. Behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband?” A polite titter rose from the guests, more to appease Cassandra than because they had enjoyed her humour. She was rich, with rich friends, and had a reputation for gossip. It was best to stay on her good side. “Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity.”</p><p>A 1950’s style jukebox was wheeled in, and one of the attendants pressed a few of the buttons. Unmistakably, the song playing was Tainted Love by Soft Cell. Everything became too overwhelming for Rose to handle, and the fact that the Doctor and Eris seemed totally unbothered, dancing on the spot to the music, didn’t help. As the steward announced that there were thirty minutes to go, she ran from the room. Exchanging concerned glances, the Doctor and Eris made to follow her but were stopped by Jabe, who directed a small handheld device at each of them in turn before thanking them and letting them continue. Jabe watched as they ran in opposite directions out of the room, presumably looking for the blonde who had accompanied them. Fussing over the data on the device she held, she failed to notice an odd metallic creature scuttle out of the main room, clattering softly against the floor. </p><p>*** <br/>Rose had found a porthole-style window and was staring out at the Earth when she was disturbed by a blue-skinned woman in greyish overalls. “Sorry. Am I allowed to be in here?”<br/>The woman’s eyes widened a little, and she spoke in a whisper. “You have to give us permission to talk.”<br/>  “Er, you have permission.”<br/>  “Thank you. And, no, you're not in the way. Guests are allowed anywhere.” Smiling, the woman removed a panel from one of the walls. <br/>  “Okay. What's your name?” <br/>   “Raffalo. I won't be long miss, I've just got to carry out some maintenance. There's a glitch in the Face of Boe's suite. There must be something blocking the system. He's not getting any hot water.”<br/>Rose relaxed a little. “So, you're a plumber? They still have plumbers?”<br/>Rafallo chuckled, “I hope so, else I'm out of a job.”<br/>  “Where are you from?” So far, Rafallo seemed like the most normal alien Rose had met, even with the blue skin. And that sentiment definitely included the Doctor. <br/>  “Crespallion. It’s part of the Jaggit Brocade, affiliated to the Scarlet Junction, Convex fifty six. And where are you from, miss? If you don't mind me asking.” <br/>She frowned. How on earth was she meant to explain where she was from when, supposedly, there were no more humans on the planet? “No, not at all. Er, I don't know. A long way away. I just sort of hitched a lift with these people. Anyway, don't let me keep you. Good luck with it.” </p><p>  “There you are! Is everything ok?” Eris rounded the corner, slightly out of breath, looking concerned. <br/>Rose nodded, not entirely convinced that she was. <br/>  “Get a bit much? It is quite a lot to take in. Let’s find somewhere quiet to sit.” The girls picked their way through the maze of corridors until they found an empty viewing room, vaguely aware of the announcement being made over the tannoy. </p><p>  “Would the owner of the blue box in private gallery fifteen please report to the Steward’s office immediately. Guests are reminded that use of teleportation devices is strictly forbidden. Thank you.”<br/>This announcement was followed by another, shorter statement. <br/>  “Earth Death in twenty five minutes.”</p><p>  “He never learns. Parking has never been one of his strong suits.” Eris grinned, making a mental note of the incident to tease the Doctor about when he joined them. <br/>Toying with the twig in the plant pot, Rose worked up the courage to ask something that had been bugging her ever since she’d met the travellers. <br/>  “If you don’t mind me asking… What are you and the Doctor? To each other, I mean.” <br/>Sitting on the floor with a huff, Eris stretched her legs out in front of her and tapped her boots together, leaning back on her hands. <br/>  “He’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father. I’ve known him centuries, and he’s always looked out for me. He does refer to me as his daughter most of the time, and apparently there's a fair bit of resemblance with this one so most people don’t question it.”<br/>Frowning, Rose turned to face the girl properly. “Hang on, centuries? You are kidding, aren’t you?” <br/>She shook her head, a smirk creeping onto her face. “Nope.” <br/>  “But you said you weren’t an alien!”<br/>  “I did say I was different.” <br/>  “How different?!” <br/>Eris stood, turning in a slow circle as if she was showing off her outfit. “How old do I look? Honestly?” <br/>Thinking a moment, Rose took a closer look at her, as if she would find a clue. “Not much older than me, I’d say. Twenty one?” <br/>  “Not quite. Try four hundred and thirty four.” <br/>As Rose stared, incredulous, overflowing with questions, the door to the viewing gallery opened and the Doctor entered, waving a slip of plastic that had ‘have a nice day’ printed on one side, complaining about the TARDIS being moved. </p><p>  “So what do you think Rose? Impressed yet?” <br/>  “Great. Yeah, fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper. They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look and they're alien.” It was hard to describe something that she had only just started believing in, especially considering the variety she’d met since arriving. How many species were actually out there? <br/>  “Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South. Things get really interesting there.” <br/>The Doctor sat down on the other side of Eris and the three sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the Earth spin slowly in the crimson glare of the sun. <br/>  “Where are you from?” <br/>  “All over the place.” His tone was light, but Eris could see the tension on his face. <br/>Something suddenly occurred to Rose. “How come they all speak English?” <br/>  “They don’t, you just hear English. It's a gift of the Tardis. The telepathic field gets inside your brain and translates.” He sounded proud, like he was talking about a child rather than a spaceship. Rose wasn’t quite so impressed by that fact. <br/>  “Your machine gets inside my head. It gets inside and it changes my mind, and you didn't even ask?”<br/>A pause. “I didn't think about it like that.”<br/>  “No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South. Who are you, then, Doctor? What sort of alien are you?”<br/>  “I'm just the Doctor.” His attempt to keep his tone civil was audible, and Eris sighed internally, sensing a shouting match brewing. <br/>Rose kept pushing. “From what planet?” <br/>The Doctor raised his voice suddenly and Rose did the same in response, causing Eris to groan and rest her head in her hands. “Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is!”<br/>  “Where are you from?”<br/>  “What does it matter?”<br/>  “Tell me who you are!”<br/>  “This is who I am, right here, right now, all right? All that counts is here and now, and this is me.”<br/>Jumping to her feet, Eris startled her companions. The expression on her face made Rose feel like a naughty kid being reprimanded by a teacher. <br/>  “Will you two pack it in? We’re visiting to watch one of this galaxy’s most historical events and all you can do is get on each other’s nerves!” <br/>There was a moment of awkwardness in which both of them sat, sullen and quiet. <br/>  “All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver. I can't exactly call for a taxi anyway. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit.” As Rose flipped her phone open the Doctor reached over and grabbed it, taking it apart, ignoring her initial protesting. <br/>  “With a little bit of jiggery pokery…”<br/>She laughed, “Is that a technical term, jiggery pokery?”<br/>  “Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery. What about you?”<br/>  “No, I failed hullabaloo. Eris, what about you?” <br/>  “Just about scraped a pass in jiggery pokery. Tomfoolery was much more my style.” As if to emphasise the point, Eris pulled a crinkled square of paper from one of her boots, swiftly folded it into a delicate butterfly and perched it on her finger, before blowing it into the Doctor’s face. He flinched and swatted at it, pulling a face as both girls descended into a giggling mess. <br/>  “There you go. Give it a shot.”<br/>The wonder on Rose’s face when Jackie answered made the Doctor smile softly, before he turned to Eris, giving Rose time to talk with a little privacy. <br/>  “Do you always have paper in your shoes?”<br/>Eris grinned and untucked a small wad of square papers from each shoe, showing them off before slipping them back into slim pockets in the lining. “You never know when paper will come in handy.” <br/>The Doctor shook his head. “Where did you learn that one?” <br/>  “Belfast, around the 1830’s. Street urchins are extremely creative and you pick up plenty of tricks if you hang around with them long enough.”  </p><p>Rose joined them again, an odd look on her face. <br/>  “Think that's amazing, you want to see the bill.”<br/>  “That was five billion years ago. So, she's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead.”<br/> Rolling his eyes, the Doctor patted her shoulder. “Bundle of laughs, you are.”<br/>Her reply was interrupted by a brief period of violent shaking; the whole platform felt like it was trembling and judging by the look on the Doctor’s face, that wasn’t good. It stopped, and he confirmed her suspicions. <br/>  “That's not supposed to happen.”</p><p>The calm, smooth voice of the steward drifted through the room as the tannoy activated.   “Honoured guests may be reassured that gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence, thanking you.” From the main observation gallery they could hear the nervous voices of the other guests.</p><p>Shaking his head, the Doctor took the sonic screwdriver from a pocket and led the girls back to the main hall. Eris could just about pick up on snatches of conversation from the different groups scattered around. <br/>  “...lax procedures…”<br/>  “...Bad Wolf scenario…”<br/>  “I must say…” <br/>Spotting Jabe, the Doctor pulled Eris along with him, Rose following close behind. <br/>  “That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that. What do you think, Jabe? Listen to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?”<br/>  “It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me.” The tree woman sounded apologetic.<br/> Eris interrupted. “If we found the engine room, do you think you could figure out what caused it?” <br/>Grinning at his adopted daughter, the Doctor turned to Jabe, asking if she knew where the engines were. </p><p>  “I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you and your wives.”<br/>Eris and the Doctor’s voices overlapped as they corrected Jabe. <br/>  “She's not my wife.”<br/>  “He’s my dad.” <br/>Jabe looked between the Doctor and Rose, an understanding look crossing her face. <br/>  “Partner?”<br/>  “No.”<br/>  “Concubine?”<br/>  “Nope.”<br/>  “Prostitute?”<br/>Throughout the conversation, Eris had been getting gradually more amused, partially at Jabe’s comments and mostly at Rose’s reaction. When the blonde finally jumped in, her response was tinged with anger and her cheeks were bright red. <br/>  “Whatever I am, it must be invisible. Do you mind? Tell you what, you lot go and pollinate. I'm going to go and have a quick word with Michael Jackson.” <br/>Eris glanced over at Cassandra, and decided she’d rather talk to a skin flap than listen to her dad making any suggestive comments to someone who was absolutely stunning, but essentially a sentient branch. <br/>  “I’ll stick with Rose. Don’t do anything stupid.”<br/>  “Don't start a fight. Either of you.” He pointed a finger in warning and linked his arm with Jabe’s. The girls walked in the direction of Cassandra’s frame, Eris calling over their shoulders. <br/>  “I want you home by midnight!” </p><p>***<br/>As Jabe and the Doctor entered the maintenance tunnel, a horde of metal spiders scurried out of sight, unnoticed by the two aliens as they wriggled behind pipes and wiring.<br/>  “Who's in charge of Platform One? Is there a Captain or what?”<br/>  “There's just the Steward and the staff. All the rest is controlled by the metal mind.”<br/>It took the Doctor a few seconds to understand what Jabe meant as he poked at the tubing running along the walls. “You mean the computer? But who controls that?”<br/>Jabe shrugged, managing to make the casual movement seem classy and graceful. <br/>  “The Corporation. They move Platform One from one artistic event to another.”<br/>  “But there's no one from the Corporation on board?”<br/>  “They're not needed. This facility is purely automatic. It's the height of the Alpha class. Nothing can go wrong.”<br/>The Doctor frowned at this comment. “Unsinkable?”<br/>  “If you like. The nautical metaphor is appropriate.” Jabe’s delicate laugh reminded the Doctor of a breeze whirling through a forest. <br/>Scoffing, the Doctor turned to face her. “You're telling me. I was on board another ship once. They said that was unsinkable. I ended up clinging to an iceberg and it wasn't half cold. Come to think of it, I don’t think Eris has ever forgiven me for that incident. So, what you're saying is, if we get in trouble there's no one to help us out?”<br/>  “I'm afraid not.”<br/>  “Fantastic.”<br/>Unfortunately, the elegant representative of the Forest of Cheam seemed to have a different definition of that word. “I don't understand. In what way is that fantastic?”</p><p>***</p><p>Cassandra was talking, but only half of her audience was really paying attention. Rose was listening intently, while Eris seemed content to lean against the wall, watching them. “Soon, the sun will blossom into a red giant, and my home will die. That's where I used to live, when I was a little boy, down there. Mummy and Daddy had a little house built into the side of the Los Angeles Crevice.”<br/>  “What happened to everyone else? The human race, where did it go?” The idea that the Earth was completely deserted was still baffling. <br/>A note of disgust crept into Cassandra’s voice. “They say mankind has touched every star in the sky. I am the last pure human. The others mingled. Oh, they call themselves New humans and Proto-humans and Digi-humans, but you know what I call them? Mongrels.”<br/>  “Why did you stay?”<br/>  “I wished to remain pure.”<br/> Something about the way she phrased her answer made Rose uneasy. “How many operations have you had?”<br/>  “Seven hundred and eight. Next week, it's seven hundred and nine. I'm having my blood bleached. Is that why you wanted a word? You could be flatter, Rose. You've got a little bit of a chin poking out. And your friend,” Here she raised her voice a little, trying to get a rise out of Eris. “There’s plenty she could fix.”<br/>Eris sneered in response. “I'd rather die.”<br/>  “Honestly, it doesn't hurt.”<br/>  “I’m with Eris. I would rather die. It's better to die than live like you, a bitchy trampoline. I was born on that planet, and so was my mum, and so was my dad, and that makes me officially the last human being in this room, because you're not human. You've had it all nipped and tucked and flattened till there's nothing left. Anything human got chucked in the bin. You're just skin, Cassandra. Lipstick and skin. Nice talking.”<br/>Rose stormed away, Eris following her. Neither noticed the Adherents of the Repeated Meme staring as they left. </p><p>***</p><p>  “So tell me, Jabe, what's a tree like you doing in a place like this?” The Doctor was rather glad that Eris had chosen to stay with Rose; some of his conversation with Jabe would definitely count as flirting. <br/>  “Respect for the Earth.”<br/>  “Oh, come on.” He raised his eyebrows. “Everyone on this platform's worth zillions.”<br/>  “Well, perhaps it's a case of having to be seen at the right occasions.”<br/>  “In case your share prices drop? You've got massive forests everywhere, roots everywhere, and there's always money in land.”<br/>Jabe didn’t seem bothered by the Doctor’s comments. “All the same, we respect the Earth as family. So many species evolved from that planet. Mankind is only one. I'm another. My ancestors were transplanted from the planet down below, and I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest.”</p><p>The Doctor stopped to scan a panel on the door, then to interfere with it further when the first sonic blast simply called up the message, “Access denied.” <br/>  “And what about your ancestry, Doctor? Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left.” She paused for breath, her tone becoming solemn. “I scanned you earlier. The metal machine was unable to give me a conclusive answer about your daughter. With you, it was almost as though it refused to admit your existence.  When it named you, I wouldn't believe it. But it was right. I know where you're from. Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable that you even exist. I just wanted to say how sorry I am.”<br/>She rested a hand on his arm, which the Doctor briefly covered with his own. A tear trailed down one cheek as he managed to get the door open, revealing a long metal catwalk intersected by several large, fast turning fans. <br/>  “Is it me, or is it a bit nippy?”</p><p>The Doctor turned to examine some of the panelling on their end of the catwalk, humming approvingly. “That's a great bit of air conditioning. Sort of nice and old fashioned. Bet they call it retro.” Using the sonic screwdriver on the panel, he was surprised by one of the metal spiders emerging from it and scuttling up the wall. “What the hell is that?”<br/>  “Is it part of the retro?”<br/>  “I don't think so. Hold on.” Aiming the sonic at the creature, he had been about to press the button when Jabe created a lasso, successfully bringing it down to them <br/>The Doctor whistled appreciatively. “Nice liana.”<br/>Jabe looked a little embarrassed. “Thank you. We're not supposed to show them in public.”<br/>  “Don't worry, I won't tell anybody. Now then, who's been bringing their pets on board?”<br/>  “What does it do?”<br/>  “Sabotage. And the temperature's about to rocket. Come on.”</p><p>***</p><p>As they made their way back into the passenger area of the ship, Jabe and the Doctor stopped by a door that was surrounded by the petite masked workers. Smoke was pouring from the gap at the bottom, and the Doctor used the sonic on the lock panel. <br/>  “Hold on. Get back.”<br/>The computer announced that the sun filter was rising, and a look of horror flashed across Jabe’s features. “Is the Steward in there?!”<br/>  “You can smell him. Hold on, there's another sun filter programmed to descend.” The Doctor checked the information from the data panel and sprinted off, using the sonic to direct him to the right room. In the background, the faint strains of ‘Toxic’ by Britney Spears mingled with the chatter of the aristocrats in the gallery and the panicked chatter of the staff. </p><p>***</p><p>Eris and Rose had returned to the viewing gallery they had been in before, Rose still fuming over the conversation with Cassandra. Suddenly, the computer announced, “Sun filter descending.” And a glaring film of light started at the ceiling, before slowly moving its way towards the floor, leaving the top of the walls blackened and smoking. The door began to slide closed and Eris roughly shoved Rose through the gap, making sure the blonde was safely in the corridor while she remained in the room. <br/>“Eris!” Rose slammed at the door to no avail, not noticing the Doctor sprinting towards her until he slid to a halt in front of the door controls. <br/>  “Where’s Eris?” The look on his face suggested he already knew what Rose was going to say. <br/>From inside the gallery, Eris’ muffled voice was barely audible over the constant announcement of the computers. “Oh don’t mind me, I’m fine! Leave me in here as long as you like!” <br/>  “Oh, well, it would be one of you.” The Doctor groaned, prising the front of the control panel off the wall and tearing at the wires inside. </p><p>The computer changed it’s message. “Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising.” Rose sighed in relief and the Doctor began working on getting the door to open. <br/>  “Some time today would be nice, you know.” Eris remarked idly from behind the door. She sounded impossibly calm, considering that she had been pretty close to getting roasted. <br/>  “Sun filter descending.”<br/>  “No, no, no! The computer must be getting clever.” The Doctor was practically growling as he ripped a small bundle of wires from the wall. “It’s fighting back.”</p><p>Inside the room, Eris had run down the steps and was lying flat against the floor, waiting patiently for her dad to get the door open. She didn’t feel the need to sit there panicking - after all, it’s not like any damage caused to her would be permanent. A sudden fizzling noise prompted her to lift her head and she promptly swore. The lock had melted. </p><p>The sun filter had reached the top of the steps when the Doctor managed to outsmart the technology and put the filter into reverse once again, before switching it off completely. He shouted through the door, “Are you alright?” <br/>  “All good!” Eris approached the door and examined the lock. “The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors.” <br/>  “Hold on, I’ll be back.” He passed the sonic to Rose. “If the sun filter starts again, point it at these wires here. It’ll stop it working. Wait here.” </p><p>As the computer announced that the Earth would die in five minutes, the Doctor ran back down the corridor in the direction of the main observation gallery, where the other guests were discussing the ship’s mysterious stowaways. “The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One.” Jabe was reading from the same device she’d used on the Doctor earlier.<br/>Cassandra looked scandalised; at least, as much as it is possible for a flat piece of skin to express emotions. “How is that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturise me, moisturise me.” <br/>Many voices overlapped, becoming a raucous mess. <br/>  “Summon the Steward.”<br/>  “I'm afraid the Steward is dead.”<br/>  “Who killed him?”<br/>  “This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. ”</p><p>  “Calm down you lot. Easy way of finding out. Someone bought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master.” The Doctor took the spider from Jabe and set it on the floor, where it immediately skittered off towards the black gowned figures.<br/>Cassandra was jubilant. “The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!”<br/>The Doctor held his hands out, approaching the group. “That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it.” He pulled the arm off the nearest Adherent. “A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea.” He tweaked a few wires and the Adherents collapsed to the floor. <br/>  “Remote controlled Droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home.” This time, the spider trotted obediently towards Cassandra, who was still flanked by the attendants and their spray guns.<br/>  “I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed. At arms!” On Cassandra’s command, the spray guns were raised. <br/>The Doctor moved his hands to his chest in a mockery of self defense. “What are you going to do, moisturise me?”<br/>Cassandra sneered back, “With acid. Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts past every code wall. I'm not just a pretty face.”<br/>  “Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?”<br/>  “I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous.”<br/>He sighed. “Five billion years and it still comes down to money.”<br/>  “Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not those freaky little friends of yours.”</p><p>The Moxx of Balhoon piped up from his chair. “Arrest her, the infidel!”<br/>Cassandra snapped. “Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn.” <br/>  “Then you'll burn with us.” Jabe spat, furious. <br/>  “Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate.” A series of explosions shook the platform. “Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me.<br/>Bye, bye, darlings.” With that, Cassandra and her attendants vanished, and the Doctor sprang into action. </p><p>  “We can reset the computer by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Jabe, come on. You lot, just chill.” He and Jabe ran from the gallery, back to the walkway they had found previously. The computer voice blared in the background. “Earth Death in two minutes. Heat levels critical.” </p><p>Reaching the area with the fans, the Doctor was dismayed to realise that the switch for the shields was on the opposite side. Between them, the fans whirled too quickly to pass safely through. Pulling at a breaker lever on the wall slowed the fans enough to become safe, but the moment he let go, the fans resumed their original speed. In the background, the computer announcement made the Doctor’s hearts sink. <br/>  “External temperature five thousand degrees.”<br/>Stepping in front of him, Jabe rested both hands on the lever, ready to push. The Doctor grabbed her arm. <br/>  “You can't. The heat's going to vent through this place.”<br/>  “I know.”<br/>  “Jabe, you're made of wood.” He sounded desperate, begging her to think about what she was doing. <br/>  “Then stop wasting time, Time Lord.”</p><p>Letting go, he made it past the first and second fans with relative ease, looking back to check on Jabe. While trying to time his attempt to pass the last fan, the smell of smoking wood filled the air and the fans sped up once again. He turned back, but Jabe was nothing more than a column of flame on the opposite platform. Closing his eyes, breathing deep, the Doctor stepped forwards and found himself at the end of the walkway. He darted forwards to the reset breaker, conscious of the explosion countdown ringing in the background. <br/>  “Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five-” <br/>The reset breaker was slammed into action, and a forcefield enveloped the entirety of Platform One at the precise moment the Earth began to boil and ripple, before shattering completely.</p><p>Back in the viewing gallery, Eris sat with her back against the wall, a little singed in places. Even past the streams of sunlight that had cracked the exoglass and penetrated the room, she had managed to see the moment that the Earth finally died. It was hard to watch. She’d called the planet home for 434 years, and even though she now spent most of her time in the far reaches of space, it would always be home. A loud crash from outside snapped her out of her mourning and she turned to see Rose struggling to pull the heavy door open. Wriggling through the gap, Eris would have ended up face first on the floor if Rose hadn’t grabbed the neck of her jumper and kept her upright. <br/>  “Thanks!” <br/>Grinning at each other out of sheer relief, they walked back to the main observation hall together, arms linked. </p><p>Upon entering, the first thing they saw was the Doctor talking to the two remaining representatives from Cheam. Judging by the facial expressions, he wasn’t delivering good news. He left the trees to process what had happened and walked over to the girls, putting his hands on Eris’ shoulders and inspecting the damage. <br/>  “Any injuries?” <br/>She shook her head, showing him the pink patches on her arm where her sleeve had caught fire. “Nothing that needs attention. They’re healing already. Are you okay?” <br/>The bitterness in his voice was strong. “Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby.” He picked the so-called ostrich egg up with one hand and slammed it against the edge of the table, smashing it and revealing the teleport feed. <br/>“Idea number three, if you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed.” He stabbed at a few of the buttons and, slowly, Cassandra appeared in the room. </p><p>At first, she seemed not to have noticed her surroundings change. “Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces - oh.” <br/>Eris and the Doctor wore matching expressions of disgust. “The last human.” He glared.<br/>Cassandra was audibly afraid. “So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club.”<br/>  “People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them.” Eris’ voice was cold and threatening, and Rose glanced at her in shock. This was new. <br/>  “It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter -”<br/>  “And creak?” A hint of sadistic glee crept into his voice. <br/>  “And what?”<br/>  “Creak. You're creaking.”<br/>  “What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturise me, moisturise me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!”<br/>The Doctor was unsympathetic. “You raised the temperature.”<br/>  “Have pity! Moisturise me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything.”<br/>Rose turned away, focusing on the Doctor so she could avoid watching Cassandra. “Help her.”<br/>  “I can’t. Everything has its time and everything dies.” Eris cleared her throat at this, and he shot her a sharp look as Cassandra squealed and ripped, splattering skin fragments over the floor of the observation gallery.</p><p>***</p><p>The three stood outside the TARDIS, watching the remaining chunks of the planet drift lazily away from the sun. Eris was picking at the holes in her jeans. Rose looked upset. When she spoke, it was almost too quiet to make out. <br/>  “The end of the Earth. It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking.” She stared at the floor. The Doctor reached for her hand. <br/>  “Let me show you something. “</p><p>***</p><p>The Doctor and Rose stood in the middle of a bustling street in London, watching as the people passing by went about their daily lives, oblivious to the duo observing them. <br/>  “You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky. My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before its time.”<br/>Rose turned to look at the Doctor, shocked. “What happened?”<br/>  “There was a war and we lost.”<br/>  “A war with who? What about your people?”<br/>  “I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor.” The flat sadness in his voice was heartbreaking. Rose smiled slightly, finding a way to change the subject. <br/>  “Can you smell chips?”<br/>He breathed in deeply. “Yeah, I can.”<br/>  “I want chips.”<br/>  “Me too.”<br/>  “Right then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is, and you can pay.”<br/>Eris stepped out of the TARDIS in fresh clothes, eyes shining slightly. “Did someone mention chips?” <br/>The Doctor began to protest. “I haven’t got money!”<br/>  “Bit useless aren’t you? Come on then, tightwad, chips are on me. We've only got five billion years till the shops close.” <br/>Chatting and joking, they joined the throng in the street, mingling with the other pedestrians. As they sat in the chip shop pelting each other with salt packets, a snippet of noise from the radio caught Eris’ attention. <br/>  “And just this afternoon, it was revealed that the benefactor for the Enyo Campaign, a representative of Bad Wolf -” <br/>Remembering that the phrase ‘Bad Wolf’ had come up on Platform One, Eris strained to catch the rest of the sentence to no avail. Neither the Doctor or Rose seemed to have noticed, so she brushed it off and rejoined the fight, high fiving Rose as she landed a ketchup sachet in the middle of the Doctor’s forehead. </p><p>It was probably just a coincidence, of course. Nothing to worry about.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Unquiet Dead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Laying flat on the bed, Rose was once again stunned into silence by the abilities of the TARDIS. Their trip to Platform One had been exhausting, physically and emotionally, and she’d asked if there was anywhere she could hole up and nap for a few hours, expecting a sofa or an offer to borrow a bedroom. Instead, the Doctor had tweaked a few dials on the console and had directed her four doors down from the kitchen, telling her to stand with her hand on the doorknob for thirty seconds before going in. Feeling foolish, she had done so - before walking into an exact replica of her bedroom at home. Now the only trouble was that she couldn’t sleep. Questions were racing around her mind, and every time she tried to work out an answer to one, another three seemed to form. She sighed, giving up, and went into the corridor again, looking at the other doors. Some had labelled plaques, others had carvings on the surface of the door itself. The wooden door to her left was marked ‘Jamie’ with a pair of intricately carved thistles on either side. On the right was a tarnished metal door, with ‘Adric’ stamped in neat letters in the centre. Just below the name, a small bouquet of origami flowers had been taped. </p><p>  “How’s the room?” Rose jumped, hand on her chest as Eris appeared beside her. <br/>  “It’s great, really. I just -” She faltered, unsure of how to describe her confusion. Eris smiled reassuringly, linking her arm with Rose’s. <br/>  “You can come and see my room, if you like. All of these ones are locked, and the TARDIS doesn’t like opening doors unless the room is meant for you.” When Rose nodded, Eris led her to a room at the opposite end of the hallway. A piece of mottled parchment was pinned to the door by a brass nail, her name written on it in a beautiful looped script. </p><p>Eris’ room was the same size as Rose’s, but that was where the similarities ended. Where Rose’s room was a bright clash of pinks and purples, the walls of Eris’ room were a deep ocean blue and the floor was dark wooden panelling. One entire wall was covered floor to ceiling with bookshelves brimming with books and seemingly random trinkets. Among them, Rose could see a pyramid shaped circuit with a round black disk at each of the four points and a khaki beret with a note pinned to the back. Upon closer inspection, the note read ‘Won’t be needing this anymore. Thought you’d like it so you don’t forget me. Sergeant J Benton.’ An antique looking four poster bed took up most of the floor space, and Eris flopped onto it, patting the spot next to her. Rose sat down, a 500 year diary on a bedside table catching her eye. </p><p>  “500 year diary? Bet those are hard to find in the shops.” <br/>Eris laughed, grabbing the book and flicking through it, showing Rose that it was almost finished, pages covered in neat handwriting and artistic sketches. “Dad gave it to me the second time we met. I’ll have to find another one soon though.” <br/>  “So when did you first meet? And why didn’t he give it to you then?” <br/>  “It was 1586. I was living in a village called Saint Ishmael, on the Welsh coast, and he’d landed in the area by accident. I was fifteen, and I walked him to our local baker’s because he said he was hungry. We didn’t know I was different then.” <br/>A troubled look crossed the girl’s face, and Rose asked another question. <br/>  “What about the second time?” <br/>  “I started living in Prague in 1632. Well, when it got to 1631 and I still looked 21 instead of 60, I knew something was up and the villagers in Wales were getting suspicious, so I left. Fast forward to 1662 and he showed up there. Anyway, about two weeks before he turned up, I sort of died. I-”<br/>  “What?!” <br/>  “I’m not finished!” Eris patted her hand, before continuing her tale. “The house I was living in was broken into by vandals and I got in a fight. One of them stabbed me in the chest and made a run for it. I was sure that was the end for me. But ten minutes later, the only evidence I’d been hurt was a bloodstain on my dress! When I ran into him again, I explained all this to him, so dad ran a few tests but couldn’t figure out what happened. He decided I should come with him and that was that.” <br/>Rose mulled over the information, frowning. <br/>  “So.. you don’t die.” <br/>  “Basically. So far, every injury I’ve ever had has healed in less than half an hour, and my body hasn’t aged since 1592 so old age never seemed to be a relevant concern.” <br/>Rose smothered a laugh. <br/>  “You’d better not tell my mum that you don’t age - she’d follow us to the end of the world and back trying to figure out how!” <br/>Between laughs, Eris managed to choke out “If she does figure it out, she’d be doing a better job than dad and I!” <br/>Before Rose could respond, the TARDIS shook violently, and they looked at each other, concerned. Another shake, and they ran out of the bedroom, fighting the movements of the floor in order to make it back to the Doctor. </p><p>Struggling to stay upright, the girls stumbled into the main console room to see the Doctor trying to reach around the console. He gestured in the general direction of a lever on the opposite side and Eris pulled it down, telling Rose to keep pressure on a button that she couldn’t quite reach. The Doctor then told her to hit a different button. <br/>  “Hold that one down!”<br/>  “I'm holding this one down.”<br/>  “Well, hold them both down.”<br/>  “It's not going to work.”<br/>  “Oi! I promised you a time machine and that's what you're getting. Now, you've seen the future, let's have a look at the past. 1860. How does 1860 sound?”<br/>Eris looked a little alarmed, leaning over to make eye contact with her dad past the central column. <br/>  “Not London! Anywhere but London!” <br/>He frowned, before fiddling with a dial by his left hand. <br/>  “Sorted.”<br/>Rose looked between them. “What happened in 1860?”<br/>The Doctor shrugged before clinging even tighter to the TARDIS as the turbulence increased. <br/>  “I don't know, let's find out. Hold on, here we go!”</p><p>Despite clinging to the console so hard that their knuckles turned white, all three travellers were thrown to the floor as the TARDIS landed heavily, groaning as they collided with the metal. <br/>  “Blimey!” Rose wheezed, rubbing at her ribs as she sat up. The Doctor was already on his feet, and offered her a hand. <br/>  “You're telling me. Are you all right?”<br/>  “Yeah. I think so. Nothing broken. Did we make it? Where are we?”<br/>The Doctor pulled her up before glancing at the screen, eyes moving rapidly. <br/>  “I did it. Give the man a medal. Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860.”<br/>Eris squinted at the screen, struggling to translate the intricate Gallifreyan on the display. <br/>  “Are you sure? “ <br/>  “Yep. Here,” The Doctor pointed at the different loops of data. “That’s the date. And this one says Naples.” <br/>  “That's so weird. It's Christmas.” Rose looked at the doors, amazed. <br/>  “All yours.”<br/>  “But, it's like, think about it, though. Christmas. 1860. Happens once, just once and it's gone, it's finished, it'll never happen again. Except for you. You can go back and see days that are dead and gone a hundred thousand sunsets ago. No wonder you never stay still.”<br/>There was a hint of sadness to the Doctor’s smile. “Not a bad life.”<br/>  “Better with friends. Come on, then.” <br/>Eris reached out, grabbing her arm. “Hey, where do you think you're going?”<br/>  “1860.”<br/>The brunette looked her up and down, taking in the sight of her jeans and hoodie, eyebrows raised. “Go out there dressed like that, you'll start a riot. I’ll show you the wardrobe, we can both dress up a bit!” <br/>The Doctor tutted. “Don’t take too long! I don’t want to leave the TARDIS and find out it’s Boxing Day because you can’t decide what to wear.”</p><p>The wardrobe turned out to be in the opposite direction to the kitchen, and took about five minutes to get to, under Eris’ guidance. Rose was certain that she’d need a map and a ball of string to find her way there alone, and it would still take an hour. As for the wardrobe itself, the spiral staircase served at least another five levels above and below the one they were currently on. Overwhelming was an understatement. <br/>Eris smirked at the look on Rose’s face, before stepping in front of a large mirror and speaking aloud. <br/>  “1860s Europe please dear; green and -” She looked over her shoulder. “What colour do you fancy?” <br/>  “Oh… red?” <br/>  “Greens and reds thanks.” Rose’s mouth hung open in awe as the mirror split down the middle and slid apart, revealing a collection of stunning dresses in the colours they’d requested. <br/>  “It saves a lot of time when you do it this way.” Eris was already running a hand over the options they’d been offered. “Come on. The less time he has to wait for us, the nicer he’ll be later on.” <br/>Rose joined her at the rack and the girls cooed over their choices, taking their time to enjoy the selection the ship had offered. </p><p>***</p><p>The Doctor stared in amazement as the girls returned to the main room. This time, the TARDIS had really outdone herself. Rose was in an off-the-shoulder dress with an embroidered black bodice and a full burgundy satin skirt, a soft black cape tied at her throat with a ribbon and heeled leather boots. Eris’ dress was high necked and long sleeved in forest green cotton, and her cape of choice was grey, lined with pale green tartan. It was a cape he recognised well. <br/>  “I wondered where that went.” <br/>Eris reached the bottom of the stairs and twirled, skirts lifting enough to show the low heels she’d chosen, bobbing into a curtsey to finish. <br/>  “Well it’s not like you’ve worn it recently! I didn’t think you’d miss it.” <br/>Rose snorted. “You wore a cape?!” <br/>The Doctor looked mildly offended. “Oi, I was a different man back then. Besides, you can’t talk.”<br/>Frowning a little, Rose mimicked Eris’ twirl. “Is something wrong with it?” <br/>  “No, no. You look beautiful, considering.” The Doctor was doing his best not to offend Rose, which she appreciated. <br/>  “Considering what?”<br/>  “That you're human.”<br/>Raising her eyebrows, the blonde gave up on hoping for anything better. “I think that's a compliment. Aren't you going to change?”<br/>He looked over his outfit, not quite understanding her point. “I've changed my jumper. Come on.”<br/>Rose ran over to stand between him and the doors. “Hold on a minute! An alien spaceship is one thing but history? Actual history? You two do this all the time. I’m going first.” Stepping out of the TARDIS into a light layer of snow, she shivered slightly, adjusting to the cold. It was early evening, by the look of the sky and the emptiness of the street. Next to the TARDIS stood a traditional lamp post with a soft orange flame burning inside the glass box. <br/>The Doctor offered her his left arm, Eris on his right. “Ready for this? Here we go. History.”</p><p>The small street they had parked on led to a main road, flanked on either side by large buildings. A choir stood on the steps of what looked like a theatre, and the sweet harmonies of ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ provided the background for the evening of numerous promenading couples.<br/>Unhooking his arm from Eris, the Doctor bought a newspaper from a small stand, delighting the seller when he paid sixpence for the farthing paper and let him keep the change. Upon reading the paper, he let go of Rose and stopped walking, looking embarrassed. <br/>  “I got the flight a bit wrong.”<br/>  “I don't care.” Rose turned to face him, grinning. Eris frowned, suddenly uneasy. <br/>  “It's not 1860, it's 1869.”<br/>Eris’ face relaxed a little and she let Rose take her by the hand and twirl her in the snow, laughing as their skirts flared against each other. <br/>  “I don't care.”<br/>  “And it's not Naples.” Rose almost fell when Eris let go to grab the newspaper out of her dad’s hands, skimming the page and groaning in frustration. <br/>The Doctor explained. “It's Cardiff.”<br/>The blonde rolled her eyes. Of all the places to end up, Cardiff wasn’t ideal. And Eris clearly thought the same way. <br/>  “We’re too close to London. Let’s just get back in the TARDIS, make our way to Naples, and have a nice evening. There is no way we can stay here.” <br/>Rose was confused. “Why is it such a problem?”<br/>Eris’ tone was deadly serious. <br/>  “Because I stayed in London for Christmas in 1869. But I know a few people who decided to visit Cardiff. I could be recognised any minute.” She glanced over her shoulder, tugging the flimsy shawl tighter around her as she did so. <br/>  “And that’s bad?” <br/>  “That would be very bad.”<br/>A sudden cacophony of screams erupted from the theatre and the trio turned to watch as people spilled from the front doors. <br/>  “We can’t leave now. Come on!” The Doctor made off for the theatre entrance, leaving the girls with no other choice but to follow him. </p><p>Inside the theatre, the source of the crowd’s hysteria was unmissable. An ancient looking woman was standing in one of the rows of seats, her mouth open. From her mouth flew a gaseous blue form, shrieking as it dived through the air. On the stage, a bearded man stood pleading with the few guests who hadn’t already left. <br/>  “Stay in your seats, I beg you. It is a lantern show. It's trickery!”<br/>The Doctor looked awestruck.<br/>  “Fantastic.”<br/>The body of the woman seemed to crumple as it hit the floor, and while Eris and her father made for the stage, Rose headed towards the woman, aware of two other people doing the same. </p><p>As they approached the stage, Eris realised who the man was and slowed, remaining out of the stage lights, turning up the collar of her cape for good measure. Not noticing, the Doctor continued, launching into an interrogation. <br/>  “Did you see where it came from?”<br/>The bearded man sneered, narrowing his eyes. “Ah, the wag reveals himself, does he? I trust you're satisfied, sir!”<br/>  “Did it say anything? Can it speak? I'm the Doctor, by the way.”<br/>  “Doctor? You look more like a navvie.”<br/>  “What's wrong with this jumper?” Eris almost laughed at how insulted her dad sounded, before noticing that Rose was leaving the theatre, following the woman as she was carried away. <br/>  “Father! We mustn’t lose Rose!”</p><p>They left the theatre in time to see Rose’s unconscious form being bundled into the back of a hearse and the hearse promptly leaving. Searching for an available carriage, both of them ignored the bearded man’s protestations as he followed them. <br/>  “You're not escaping me, sir. What do you know about that hobgoblin, hmm? Projection on glass, I suppose. Who put you up to it?”<br/>  “Yeah, mate. Not now, thanks.” The Doctor ran up to a parked cart and shouted for the driver. “Oi, you! Follow that hearse!”<br/>  “I can't do that, sir.” The driver sounded rather nervous. <br/>  “Why not?”<br/>  “I'll tell you why not. I'll give you a very good reason why not. Because this is my coach!” Afraid that things were about to turn nasty, Eris stepped between the men, righting her collar so her face was visible. <br/>  “Mr Dickens, please! The young lady is my friend and it is likely she is in trouble. I apologise for my tone but this really is most important.” <br/>Dickens looked shocked and a little confused, but ushered the pair into the carriage, telling his driver to move with haste. </p><p>  “Come on, you're losing them!” The Doctor was getting gradually more irritated, and the fact that he was being ignored wasn’t helping. He noticed that Eris seemed surprisingly comfortable with their unwilling travel companion, and decided to listen in. <br/>  “Miss Stewart, I must confess I expected you to still be in London. It is a pleasant surprise to see you, but I must admit that the situation is a little odd.” <br/>  “My plans changed rather suddenly, Mr Dickens. It is pleasant to see you too, I must say.” <br/>The sudden look on the Doctor’s face made Eris rather nervous; her father had always acted a little unusual around his heroes. <br/>  “Dickens?”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “Charles Dickens?”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “The Charles Dickens?”<br/>The author turned to Eris, a little incredulous. “Do you know this man?” <br/>Eris was clearly struggling to keep her voice civil by Victorian standards as she answered, shooting a look at her dad as she did so. <br/>  “This is my adoptive father, the Doctor. Unfortunately I have not had the chance to introduce him to you as yet, he has been away for a few years and has only just returned home.” She barely finished her sentence before the Doctor began his rambling. <br/>  “Charles Dickens? You're brilliant, you are. Completely one hundred percent brilliant. I've read them all. Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and what's the other one, the one with the ghost?”<br/>The man in question looked rather pleased. “A Christmas Carol?”<br/>  “No, no, no, the one with the trains. The Signal Man, that's it. Terrifying! The best short story ever written. You're a genius. Honestly, Charles. Can I call you Charles? I'm such a big fan.” <br/>  “A what? A big what?”<br/>  “Fan. Number one fan, that's me.”<br/>  “How exactly are you a fan? In what way do you resemble a means of keeping oneself cool?”<br/>The Doctor glanced at Eris, who shook her head a little. Clearly the word wasn’t part of Victorian vocabulary. <br/>  “No, it means fanatic, devoted to. Mind you, I've got to say, that American bit in Martin Chuzzlewit, what's that about? Was that just padding or what? I mean, it's rubbish, that bit.”<br/>  “I thought you said you were my fan.”<br/>  “Ah, well, if you can't take criticism. Go on, do the death of Little Nell, it cracks me up. No, sorry, forget about that. Come on, faster!”<br/>  “Who exactly is in that hearse?” Tired of the Doctor’s waffle, Charles turned to Eris for a response. <br/>  “A recent acquaintance, Miss Rose Tyler. She is younger than me, just a teenager,” At this, the Doctor coughed. “and she may be in considerable danger, as she is with the people who took the woman from the theatre.” <br/>Charles looked astonished and leaned forward, thumping the roof of the carriage hard with his fist. “Why does he waste time talking about dry old books? This is much more important. Driver, be swift! The chase is on!”</p><p>While Charles was giving orders to his driver, the Doctor turned to Eris, doing his best to keep their conversation quiet. <br/>  “You never told me you knew Charles Dickens!” <br/>  “You never asked!” Eris pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, tension visible all over her face. “Seriously, you owe me big time for this. Trying not to slip up and reveal that I’m not the same Eris he had tea with two weeks ago is going to be exhausting.” <br/>Patting her shoulder apologetically, the Doctor had a sudden inspiration as to how to make it up to her. <br/>  “An author for an author. How about I take you to meet H. G. Wells?” <br/>Eris’ face lit up. <br/>  “Please! I had planned to when I returned to England but I met you first, so it is technically your fault I missed him.” <br/>  “Hey, you can’t blame me for everything!” </p><p>The carriage clattered roughly to a halt, jolting. As soon as it was safe, the three passengers got out, Charles turning to assist Eris before they headed for the door to the undertaker’s house, the Doctor pounding fiercely at the door. A nervous looking maid opened the door, a hand fussing at the edge of her apron. <br/>  “I'm sorry, sir. We're closed.” Her accented voice shook a little, and Eris couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Whatever was going on, this girl certainly didn’t like being involved. <br/>Charles’ response was heated. “Nonsense. Since when did an undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master.”<br/>  “He's not in, sir.”<br/>  “Don't lie to me, child. Summon him at once.”<br/>Behind the maid, a lantern on the wall flickered and sputtered, surrounded by a blue gaseous hue. The Doctor stepped forwards into the hallway, staring up at the fixture. <br/>  “Having trouble with your gas?”<br/>Charles looked perturbed, and Eris had to smother a laugh at his comment. <br/>  “What the Shakespeare is going on?”</p><p>Ignoring the maid as she protested, the Doctor moved further into the house, discreetly directing the sonic screwdriver up at the lamp as he pressed his ear to the wall. <br/>  “ You're not allowed inside, sir!”<br/>  “There's something inside the walls. Wait, no. The gas pipes. Something's living inside the gas.”<br/>From deeper in the house came a loud banging, and a voice shouting - a voice Eris and the Doctor knew all too well. <br/>  “Let me out! Please, please, let me out!”<br/>They ran into the house and down the main corridor, searching desperately for the right room. Upon rounding a corner they collided with an older man, who looked furious at the sight of them. <br/>  “How dare you! This is my house!”<br/>Racing ahead, the time travellers missed Charles’ angry outburst of “Shut up!” </p><p>Reaching the chapel of rest and kicking the door open they found Rose, struggling to stay out of arm's reach of two pale, well dressed figures. One was the woman from the theatre, the other was a younger man. The Doctor pulled her away, passing her back to Eris who looked her over to make sure she wasn’t hurt while he was distracting the corpses. Charles stood beside them, amazed. <br/>  “It's a prank. It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence.”<br/>  “No, we're not. The dead are walking. Hi.” The Doctor called back, keeping his eyes locked on the people in front of them. <br/>  “Hi. Who's your friend?”<br/>  “Charles Dickens.”<br/>  “Okay.” <br/>Returning his full attention to the walking bodies, the Doctor spoke. “My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?”<br/>The young man opened his mouth to answer, and his response sounded like a combination of a multitude of voices, rather than a single one. <br/>  “Failing. Open the rift. We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us.” <br/>With a scream, the blue gas-like entities they had seen in the theatre appeared and flew to a gas lamp on the far wall, leaving their puppets to collapse to the floor. </p><p>The group moved to a sitting room, where the young maid introduced herself as Gwyneth and the undertaker as Mr Sneed. Rose, who’d been suppressing an outburst since she’d woken up, let loose. <br/>  “Right then Mr Sneed. First of all you drug me, then you kidnap me, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man!”<br/>  “I won't be spoken to like this!” Sneed looked ready to explode, but Rose’s tirade continued. <br/>  “Then you stuck me in a room full of zombies! And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave me to die! So come on, talk!”<br/>  “It's not my fault. It's this house. It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs-” Looking around him, Sneed realised the nature of his company and rephrased his words, glancing guiltily at the ladies present. “the er, dear departed started getting restless.”<br/>Charles scoffed. “Tommyrot.”<br/>  “You witnessed it. Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps.”</p><p>Gwyneth entered the sitting room with a tray of tea cups and handed the correct cup to each person. Approaching the Doctor and Eris by the mantlepiece, she set their cups down next to them, pointing out which one was which. <br/>  “Two sugars, sir, just how you like it. And just the one in yours, miss.”<br/>As she walked away, they looked at each other, wondering. Neither of them had mentioned their preferences, so how had she known? <br/>Rose and Charles were still listening to Sneed’s accounts of the mysterious happenings. <br/>  “One old fellow who used to be a sexton almost walked into his own memorial service. Just like the old lady going to your performance, sir, just as she planned.”<br/>  “Morbid fancy.” Charles sneered dismissively. <br/>The Doctor joined the conversation, stepping away from the wall and crossing his arms. <br/>  “Oh, Charles, you were there.”<br/>  “I saw nothing but an illusion, and I am sure Miss Stewart will agree with me. It is nothing more than a fanciful hoax.” He looked to Eris for support, but the brunette stepped forward to stand with the Doctor, her voice smooth and polite. <br/>  “I am afraid I agree with my father on this matter, Mr Dickens. This sort of occurrence is his area of expertise.” <br/>Smug, the Doctor couldn’t resist adding his own, less polite comment. <br/>  “If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time. Just shut up.” He turned to Sneed.  “What about the gas?”<br/>  “That's new, sir. Never seen anything like that.”<br/>  “Means it's getting stronger, the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through.”<br/>Rose leaned forward. “Hold on, what's the rift?”<br/>  “A weak point in time and space. A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time.” </p><p>This was clearly too much for Charles to handle and he leapt from his chair and left the room, slamming the door behind him as he did so. <br/>Sneed looked a little perturbed.<br/>  “That's how I got the house so cheap. Stories going back generations. Echoes in the dark, queer songs in the air, and this feeling like a shadow passing over your soul. Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine.”<br/>***</p><p>Back in the chapel of rest, Charles approached the coffin of the young man and removed the lid, before cautiously waving a shaking hand in front of the pallid face inside. He was unaware of the Doctor, standing in the doorway watching with an amused expression as he went on to search the rest of the coffin. <br/>  “Checking for strings?”<br/>  “Wires, perhaps. There must be some mechanism behind this fraud.”<br/>  “Oh, come on, Charles. All right. I shouldn't have told you to shut up. I'm sorry. But you've got one of the best minds in the world. You saw those gas creatures.”<br/>The author shook his head. <br/>  “I cannot accept that. Certainly not as easily as Miss Stewart has accepted such things.”<br/>The Doctor continued as if Charles hadn’t spoken. <br/>  “And what does the human body do when it decomposes? It breaks down and produces gas. Perfect home for these gas things. They can slip inside and use it as a vehicle, just like your driver and his coach.”<br/>  “Stop it. Can it be that I have the world entirely wrong?”<br/>  “Not wrong. There's just more to learn.”<br/>Charles sighed, stepping back from the coffin to be level with the Doctor. <br/>  “I've always railed against the fantasists. Oh, I loved an illusion as much as the next man, revelled in them, but that's exactly what they were, illusions. The real world is something else. I dedicated myself to that. Injustices, the great social causes. I hoped that I was a force for good. Now you tell me that the real world is a realm of spectres and jack-o'-lanterns. In which case, have I wasted my brief span here, Doctor? Has it all been for nothing?”<br/>The Time Lord patted his arm reassuringly. <br/>  “If you’ve enjoyed the way you spent your time, Charlie, then it’s impossible to have wasted it. Trust me.” </p><p>***</p><p>Rose and Eris accompanied Gwyneth to the pantry, washing up the teacups they’d been using while Gwyneth lit a light. <br/>  “Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping. It's not right.”<br/>Rose smiled. “Don't be daft. Sneed works you to death. How much do you get paid?”<br/>  “Eight pound a year, miss.”<br/>  “How much?”<br/>Eris whispered into her ear as Gwyneth turned away to straighten some objects on a shelf. <br/>  “By 1860s standards, that’s high. Some servants are lucky to get four.” <br/>Trying to keep in mind that this was completely normal for the young maid, Rose changed the subject. “So, did you go to school or what?”<br/>The young girl laughed. “Of course I did. What do you think I am, an urchin? I went every Sunday, nice and proper.”<br/>  “What, once a week?”<br/>  “We did sums and everything. To be honest, I hated every second.”<br/>  “Me too.”<br/>Gwyneth lowered her voice a little. <br/>  “Don't tell anyone, but one week, I didn't go and ran on the heath all on my own!”<br/>Eris finished drying the last cup and put it back in the right place on the shelf, smiling. <br/>  “If there had been somewhere green to play near my Sunday school, I would have done the same. Playing alongside the river does not quite have the same charm, unfortunately.” </p><p>Rose glanced at Eris, noticing the change in her voice. Thinking back, she’d sounded a little different ever since they’d left the TARDIS, and her voice had changed even further since Charles Dickens arrived. Deciding to save her question for later, she returned to the conversation. <br/>  “I did plenty of that. I used to go down the shops with my mate Shareen. We used to go and look at boys.”<br/>Gwyneth blushed. “Well, I don't know much about that, miss.”<br/>  “Come on, times haven't changed that much. I bet you've done the same.”<br/>  “I don't think so, miss.”<br/>  “Gwyneth, you can tell me. I bet you've got your eye on someone.”<br/>When the Welsh girl remained silent, Eris beckoned her a little closer and spoke in hushed tones, as though sharing a delicate secret. <br/>  “I could tell you about my own young man in return, if you wish.”<br/>Smiling shyly, Gwyneth finally relented. “I suppose. There is one lad. The butcher’s boy. He comes by every Tuesday. Such a lovely smile on him. And yours?”<br/>  “We were very close about six years ago, when he was still living in London. His name was Henry, and he was ever so sweet.” <br/>  “What happened? If you don’t mind me asking, miss.” <br/>  “He moved out of London to be with his family after his mother fell ill. We still exchange letters from time to time.” <br/>Noticing the sadness creeping into Eris’ words, Rose tried her best to get a laugh out of them. <br/>  “I like a nice smile. Good smile, nice bum.”</p><p>Her comment had the intended effect, as Gwyneth laughed out of shock and Eris cracked a smile. <br/>  “Well, I have never heard the like”<br/>  “Ask him out. Give him a cup of tea or something, that's a start.” Rose grinned. <br/>  “I swear it is the strangest thing, miss. You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you talk like some sort of wild thing.”<br/>  “Maybe I am. Maybe that's a good thing. You need a bit more in your life than Mister Sneed.”<br/>Gwyneth frowned a little. <br/>  “Oh, now that's not fair. He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to me to take me in, you see. I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was twelve.”<br/>  “Oh, I'm sorry.”<br/>  “Thank you, miss. But I'll be with them again, one day, sitting with them in paradise. I shall be so blessed. They're waiting for me. Maybe your dad's up there waiting for you too, miss.” <br/>Rose looked a little taken aback. <br/>  “Maybe. Er, who told you he was dead?”<br/>  “I don't know. Must have been the Doctor.” Gwyneth bit her lip, shrugging. <br/>  “My father died years back.”<br/>  “But you've been thinking about him lately more than ever.”<br/>  “I suppose so. How do you know all this?” Rose was alarmed by just how much Gwyneth knew. Eris, however, had a knowing look on her face, and didn’t seem worried at all. <br/>  “Mister Sneed says I think too much. I'm all alone down here. I bet you've got dozens of servants, haven't you, miss?”<br/>  “No, no servants where I'm from.”<br/>  “And you've both come such a long way.”</p><p>Eris stepped forward to stand a little closer to the Welsh girl. <br/>  “What makes you think so?”<br/>  “Miss Tyler is from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about half naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past. People are flying in metal birds.” Rose gasped, unable to stop herself. How could Gwyneth possibly know that? <br/>  “And you Miss Eris, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The things that ride with you. The darkness, the destruction, the powerful Enyo you have. The big bad wolf. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, miss.” Breathing heavily, Gwyneth buried her face in her hands, and the girls moved forward to comfort her. <br/>  “It's all right, don’t apologise.”<br/>  “I can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, my mam said I had the sight. She told me to hide it.”</p><p>The Doctor’s voice from the doorway startled all of them. <br/>  “But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?”<br/>Gwyneth dried her eyes. “All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head.”<br/>  “You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key.”<br/>  “I've tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts.”<br/>  “Well, that should help. You can show us what to do.”<br/>  “What to do where, sir?”<br/>  “We're going to have a seance.”</p><p>***</p><p>In the sitting room, the table had been set up to accommodate the planned seance. Gwyneth had taken things in her stride remarkably well, and her tone became commanding as she instructed the others on how to behave. <br/>  “This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of Mists, down in Bute Town. Come, we must all join hands.”<br/>Charles was more than a little disillusioned with the idea. <br/>  “I can't take part in this.”<br/>  “Humbug? Come on, open mind.” The Doctor was doing his best to convince him, but the author was resolutely against it. <br/>  “This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Seances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing.”<br/>Eris jumped to Gwyneth’s defence, unhappy with how her old friend was treating the young maid. <br/>  “Mr Dickens, please! I understand that you do not have the same faith in Gwyneth as I do but the least you could do is show her a little more courtesy.”<br/>Looking more than a little ashamed, he sat down between Rose and Gwyneth. The Doctor nodded. <br/>  “Good man. Now, Gwyneth, reach out.”</p><p>  “Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden.” Before she had finished talking, the others could hear faint whispers surrounding them, almost seeming to seep out of the walls. <br/>Rose instinctively lowered her voice to a whisper in response. “Can you hear that?”<br/>Charles scoffed. “Nothing can happen. This is sheer folly.”<br/>  “Look at her!”<br/>  “I see them. I feel them!” With this, gaseous blue tendrils began to curl and drift above their heads, shocking Charles into silence. <br/>  What are they saying, Gwyneth?” Eris kept her voice as low and calm as possible, trying to avoid breaking the girl’s trance. <br/>  “I… I’m not sure, miss.”<br/>  “They cannot get through the rift. Gwyneth, it does not control you, you control it. Now, look deep. Allow them through.”<br/>  “I can't!”<br/>The Doctor joined in. “Yes, you can. Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Make the link.”<br/>Faint blue humanoid outlines appeared behind Gwyneth, and Sneed cried out. <br/>  “Great God! Spirits from the other side.”<br/>  “The other side of the universe.” The Doctor shushed him as the figures began to speak, combining Gwyneth’s voice with their own. The voices were childlike, desperate. </p><p>  “Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us.”<br/>  “What do you want us to do?” <br/>  “The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge.”<br/>The Doctor frowned. “What for?”<br/>  “We are the last of our kind. We face extinction.”<br/>At this, his face dropped. “Why, what happened?”<br/>  “Once we had a physical form like you, but then the war came.”<br/>Charles interrupted, confusion clouding his features. “War? What war?”<br/>  “The Time War. Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state.” <br/>  “So that's why you need the corpses.” Eris’ voice was heavy with sadness. <br/>  “We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us.”<br/>Rose was horrified. “But we can't!”<br/>The Doctor turned his head to face her. “Why not?”<br/>  “It's not. I mean, it's not-”<br/>  “Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives.”<br/>The Gelth cried out, figures flickering against the dark backdrop of the sitting room. <br/>  “Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth.”<br/>They flew back into the gas lamps from which they had appeared and Gwyneth collapsed onto the table, completely exhausted. </p><p>*** </p><p>Gwyneth awoke to find that she’d been moved to a small sofa away from the table, and Rose was kneeling by her. <br/>  “It's all right. You just sleep.” Rose tried to soothe her, but the girl remembered the events that had occurred before she passed out and sat up, worried. <br/>  “But my angels, miss. They came, didn't they? They need me?”<br/>  “They do need you, Gwyneth. You're the only chance they have of survival.”<br/>  “I've told you, leave her alone.” Rose snapped. “She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles.”</p><p>Sighing, the Doctor walked back to Sneed and Dickens, who were struggling to understand the nature of the situation they found themselves in. <br/>  “Explain it again Doctor. What are they?” Charles paced in front of the fireplace, too uneasy to stand still. <br/>  “Aliens.”<br/>  “Like foreigners, you mean?” Eris smiled, Sneed wasn’t the brightest lamp in the chandelier but it was quite endearing. <br/>  “Pretty foreign, yeah. From up there.” The Doctor pointed towards the ceiling. <br/>  “Brecon?”<br/>Giving up, the Doctor shrugged. “Close. And they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes.”<br/>  “Which is why they need the girl.” Charles seemed to have finally got a proper grasp on things. <br/>  “They're not having her.” Rose looked horrified at the thought of Gwyneth having to become so involved. <br/>The Doctor was doing his best to make Rose understand. “But she can help. Living on the rift, she's become part of it. She can open it up, make a bridge and let them through.”<br/>  “Incredible. Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world, who can only exist in our world by inhabiting cadavers.” Charles was amazed by the suggestion, deep in thought over the multitude of possibilities such a concept could produce. <br/>  “It could work.” The Doctor mused.<br/>Rose was scandalised. “You can't let them run around inside of dead people!”<br/>  “Why not? It's like recycling.” <br/>  “Seriously though, you can't.”<br/>  “Seriously though, I can.”<br/>  “It's just wrong! Those bodies were living people. We should respect them even in death.”</p><p>The Doctor’s tone was harsh. “It's a different morality. Get used to it or go home. You heard what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying.”<br/>  “I don't care. They're not using her.” <br/>As Rose did her best to argue, Gwyneth stood. <br/>  “Don't I get a say, miss?”<br/>  “Look, you don't understand what's going on.”<br/>Gwyneth laughed, but there was a note of hurt in her voice. “You would say that, miss, because that's very clear inside your head, that you think I'm stupid.”<br/>Rose protested. “That's not fair.”<br/>  “It's true, though. Things might be very different where you're from, but here and now, I know my own mind, and the angels need me. Doctor, what do I have to do?”<br/>  “You do not have to do anything, Gwyneth. You still have a choice.” Eris spoke gently, not wanting to frighten the girl too much. <br/>  “They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mam on a holy mission. So tell me.”<br/>The Doctor began to explain his plan. “We need to find the rift. This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other. Mister Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the ghosts have been seen?”<br/>The undertaker answered. “That would be the morgue.”<br/>Rose groaned, getting a laugh from Eris and the Doctor, and the group left the sitting room. </p><p>Sneed and the Doctor led the way to the morgue, followed closely by Charles and Gwyneth. Bringing up the rear, Rose got the chance to talk to Eris without being overheard. <br/>  “How come you started speaking like that?” <br/>Eris smiled sheepishly. <br/>  “Force of habit and self preservation. I couldn’t risk Charles suspecting there was something different about me - by 1869 he’d known me for about six years, so he would have noticed right away if I’d sounded off.” <br/>A pause, before Rose’s next question. <br/>  “Were you telling the truth about Henry?” <br/>Smirking, Eris replied. <br/>  “Sort of. There was someone, and we did exchange letters for a while. But it was back in Germany, in the 1740s.” <br/>  “Right. Henry isn’t a very German name, is it?”<br/>  “Ah, yeah, I lied about that too. Her name was Hanna.” <br/>Chuckling at Rose’s expression of shock, Eris walked further ahead to join her dad at the front of the group as they entered the morgue. </p><p>Realising she was about to be left behind, Rose hurried forwards to catch up with the rest of the group, directing a statement at the Doctor. <br/>  “The thing is, Doctor, the Gelth don't succeed, because I know they don't. I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in 1869.”<br/>His response was everything but comforting. “Time's in flux, changing every second. Your cozy little world can be rewritten like that. Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing.”<br/>Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of the Gelth, soaring from a gas lamp by the entry and screeching in joy. <br/>  “You've come to help. Praise the Doctor! Praise him! Hurry! Please, so little time. Pity the Gelth!” <br/>  “I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer. Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?” The Gelth didn’t answer, choosing instead to swirl around their heads and wail. <br/>Gwyneth’s eyes glittered, swimming with hope. “My angels. I can help them live.”</p><p>The Gelth materialised inside the archway in the centre of the room and Gwyneth stepped forwards, making the link and allowing the creatures to cross over. The girl’s mouth opened and a suspiciously large volume of blue gas flowed out, forming shapes as it filled the room. In a blur, the soft blue of the original apparition morphed into a fiery red, with visibly sharp teeth and its voice deepened to something akin to a growl. <br/>  “The Gelth will come through in force.”<br/>Charles looked confused. “You said that you were few in number.”<br/>  “A few billion. And all of us in need of corpses.” <br/>Around them, corpses from the slabs began to rise and walk, approaching Mr Sneed, who was standing closest to Gwyneth in an attempt to convince her to stop. Before anyone could warn him, one of the dead snapped his neck, killing him instantly and leaving him available to be inhabited by one of the Gelth. <br/>  “I think it's gone a little bit wrong.” The fact that the Doctor was audibly worried scared Rose - he was normally so confident, so certain. <br/>  “We need bodies. All of you. Dead. The human race. Dead.”<br/>Eris pulled Rose and the Doctor backwards into an alcove protected by a metal gate as Charles ran from the room, shouting apologies as he escaped. The gate closed, keeping the trio just out of the corpses’ reach as they pressed against the back wall. <br/>  “Give yourself to glory. Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth.”<br/>  “I trusted you. I pitied you!” The Doctor spat. <br/>  “We don't want your pity. We want this world and all it's flesh.”<br/>Turning to Rose, the Doctor grabbed her hand. “I'm sorry.”<br/>  “But it's 1869. How can I die now?”<br/>  “Time isn't a straight line. It can twist into any shape. You can be born in the twentieth century and die in the nineteenth and it's all my fault. I brought you here.”<br/>  “It's not your fault. I wanted to come.”<br/>  “What about me? I saw the fall of Troy, World War Five. I pushed boxes at the Boston Tea Party. Now I'm going to die in a dungeon in Cardiff.”<br/>Eris looked at them both, fearful. <br/>  “You two might. But what happens to me?” <br/>There was a moment of silence in which the three looked at each other, holding hands, preparing themselves for what looked like the end. <br/>Rose smiled sadly. “We'll go down fighting, yeah?”<br/>  “Yeah.”</p><p>Charles ran back into the room, darting between the lamps and switching off the flame before opening the gas tap fully. “Doctor! Doctor! Turn off the flame, turn up the gas! Now, fill the room, all of it, now!”<br/>  “What're you doing?”<br/>  “Turn it all on. Flood the place!”<br/>  “What, so we choke to death instead?” Rose was already struggling to talk, choking on the foul taste of the gas. <br/>  “Fill the room with gas, it'll draw them out of the host. Suck them into the air like poison from a wound!” Eris broke away and pushed the metal gate open, shoving between the corpses and drawing them away from the Doctor and Rose, giving them the chance to get out. Looking around him, the Doctor spotted the gas pipe against the wall and tore it away, flooding the room with gas at an even faster rate and causing the Gelth to leave their hosts, soaring back to the archway. </p><p>Taking her chance, Eris made for the archway and spoke to Gwyneth, almost reaching out to touch the girl before realising that was probably a bad idea. <br/>  “Gwyneth, send them back. They lied. They're not angels.”<br/>  “Liars?” Her voice was dreamy, confused. <br/>  “Look at me. If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!”<br/>The Doctor and Rose joined Eris, the blonde covering her mouth with the edge of her cape. <br/>  “I can't breathe.”<br/>  “Charles, get the girls out. I’ll help Gwyneth.”<br/>Rose tried to protest but struggled with the lack of oxygen. Eris, who seemed to be faring better, pulled her towards the doors, allowing Charles to lead them through the house and into the street. </p><p>Back in the morgue, the Doctor spoke quickly, desperately trying to get Gwyneth to see sense and come away from the arch. <br/>  “Remember that world you saw? Rose's world? All those people. None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift.”<br/>  “I can't send them back. But I can hold them. Hold them in this place, hold them here. Get out.”<br/>As the Doctor watched, the young girl pulled a box of matches from her apron pocket, opening it slowly. Heart sinking, he reached forwards and placed two fingers against her neck, hoping he was wrong. Nothing. <br/>  “I'm sorry.” He kissed her forehead gently. “Thank you.”<br/>He ran for the door, aware of the Gelth swirling more aggressively towards the archway as he left. </p><p>As he made it into the street, the building exploded, sending him sprawling to the floor. Eris and Rose ran forward to help him up, and the blonde stared miserably at the flaming destruction before them.<br/>  “She didn't make it.”<br/>  “I'm sorry. She closed the rift.”<br/>Charles looked distraught. “The poor child.”<br/>  “I did try, Rose, but Gwyneth was already dead. She had been for at least five minutes.”<br/>  “What do you mean?”<br/>  “Rose, she was probably dead from the minute she stood in that arch. The pressure on her mind would have been immense.” Eris put an arm around her. <br/>  “But she can't have. She spoke to us. She helped us. She saved us. How could she have done that?”<br/>Charles spoke up, his voice solemn. “There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Even for you, Doctor.”<br/>  “She saved the world. A servant girl. No one will ever know.” <br/>The four of them stood, watching the house burn.</p><p>***</p><p>Standing outside the TARDIS, the Doctor and Rose watched Eris say goodbye to her old friend, who was talking excitedly about his plans. <br/>  “What are you going to do now?”<br/>  “I shall take the mail coach back to London, quite literally post-haste. This is no time for me to be on my own. I shall spend Christmas with my family and make amends to them. After all I've learned tonight, there can be nothing more vital. And you, my dear? Would you return to London with me?” <br/>The brunette smiled sadly, resting a hand on his arm. <br/>  “There are a few small tasks I must complete with my father, I am afraid. I will not be returning to London until next week.” <br/>Charles seemed not to notice the emotion in her expression as he continued talking. <br/>  “Well, when you return to London, you must join me for tea and we will discuss all that I have learned this past night. I must write about them!” <br/>Rose interrupted, “Do you think that's wise?”<br/>  “I shall be subtle at first. The Mystery of Edwin Drood still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer was not the boy's uncle. Perhaps he was not of this Earth. The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals. I can spread the word, tell the truth.”<br/>  “Good luck with it. Nice to meet you. Fantastic.” The Doctor shook Charles’ hand and led Eris gently away, knowing she was struggling. <br/>Rose said goodbye, and Charles frowned in response. <br/>  “In what way is this goodbye? Where are you going?”<br/>  “You'll see. In the shed.”<br/>  “Upon my soul, Doctor, it's one riddle after another with you. But after all these revelations, there's one mystery you still haven't explained. Answer me this. Who are you?”<br/>Smiling, the Doctor opened the door to the TARDIS, making sure it was close enough to the frame that Charles couldn’t see inside. <br/>  “Just a friend passing through.”<br/>And with that, the trio entered the TARDIS, Eris waving before closing the door behind her. </p><p>Inside, Rose had a sudden thought. <br/>  “Doesn't that change history if he writes about blue ghosts? And hey, if Eris is in London now and he goes back, won’t that Eris not know what’s happened here?” <br/>The others started to speak at the same time, before the Doctor motioned for Eris to answer first. <br/>  “A few days after Christmas day, I was invited to board a ship for Japan. I accepted the invitation and left on New Year’s Day. When I lived through it, the last time Charles ever saw me was at tea two weeks before Christmas. By the time he got back to London, I was already gone.”<br/>From the console, the Doctor picked up the chain of events, standing with an arm around his daughter as she wiped her eyes. <br/>  “In a week's time it's 1870, and that's the year he dies. Sorry. He'll never get to tell his story.”<br/>  “Oh, no. He was so nice!” Rose now understood why it had been so hard for Eris to say farewell - she hadn’t seen her friend in nearly 130 years and she knew he would soon be dead. <br/>  “But in your time, he was already dead. We've brought him back to life, and he's more alive now than he's ever been, old Charlie boy. Let's give him one last surprise.”</p><p>Programming the console for flight, they stood by the scanner and watched, laughing, as Charles stood gaping in the snow while the TARDIS faded away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Aliens of London</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stepping out of the TARDIS, Rose was rather glad to see her block of flats. Of course, the last two adventures had been wonderful, but after the close encounters that had occurred it was nice to be back to normality. <br/>  “How long have I been gone?”<br/>The Doctor glanced down at his watch. “About twelve hours.”<br/>  “Oh. Right, I won't be long. I just want to see my mum.”<br/>Eris leant against the corner of the TARDIS, scuffing her feet against the pavement, and grinned. “What are you going to tell her?”<br/>Rose shrugged. “I don't know. I've been to the year 5 billion and only been gone, what, twelve hours? No, I'll just tell her I spent the night at Shareen's. See you later.” She walked a few steps, then turned back. “Oi, don't you disappear.”<br/>The Doctor waved his hand in a mock salute and turned to talk to Eris, but she’d moved. She jogged to a nearby concrete pillar and tore down a sheet of paper that had been stuck to it, frowning. Taking it back to her dad, her voice was serious. <br/>  “I think we’ve got a problem.” <br/>Looking at the poster, the Doctor saw exactly what she meant. Below a large ‘Have you seen this girl?’ tagline was a photo of Rose. </p><p>Unlocking the door, Rose shouted through to the kitchen, anticipating that her mum would be there. <br/>  “I'm back! I was with Shareen. She was all upset again. Are you in? So, what's been going on? How've you been?” <br/>Jackie walked out of the kitchen, mug in hand, an odd look on her face. <br/>  “What? What's that face for? It's not the first time I've stayed out all night.”<br/>Dropping the mug, Jackie threw herself forwards to hug Rose, squeezing the confused blonde tight to her. She was babbling wildly. <br/>  “Oh, my God. It's you. Oh my God!” <br/>Looking over her mum’s shoulder, Rose could see stacks of missing posters and pamphlets on the table, all displaying her face and name. She was vaguely aware of the sound of two pairs of feet slapping against the stairs, and heard them stop in the open doorway to the flat. The Doctor sounded considerably ashamed. <br/>  “It's not twelve hours, it's twelve months. You've been gone a whole year. Sorry.”</p><p>Twenty minutes later a policeman had arrived at the flat, and Jackie’s shock had given way to fury. Rose had tucked herself onto an armchair, while Eris and the Doctor flanked her, trying to stay quiet and not cause any more trouble than they’d started. <br/>  “The hours I've sat here, days and weeks and months, all on my own! I thought you were dead, and where were you? Travelling. What the hell does that mean, travelling? That's no sort of answer. You ask her. She won't tell me. That's all she says. Travelling. I got everyone involved looking for you - police, local news, the search parties from the Enyo lot, the flipping fire department! And all you can give me is travelling!”<br/>Rose could barely speak louder than a murmur, which sounded even quieter when paired with Jackie’s exclamations. <br/>  “That's what I was doing.”<br/>Jackie scoffed. “When your passport is still in the drawer? It's just one lie after another.”<br/>  “I meant to phone. I really did. I just… forgot.”<br/>  “What, for a year? You forgot for a year? And I am left sitting here. I just don't believe you. Why won't you tell me where you've been?”<br/>The Doctor chose that moment to speak up, feeling that it wasn’t fair that Rose was getting all the punishment for the incident.<br/>  “Actually, it's my fault. I sort of er, employed Rose as my companion.”<br/>Frowning, the policeman leant forwards, looking between the three of them. <br/>  “When you say companion, is this a sexual relationship?”<br/>The trio by the chair responded with an emphatic “No.”<br/>  “Then what is it? Because you, you waltz in here all charm and smiles, and the next thing I know, she vanishes off the face of the Earth! How old are you then? Forty? Forty five? What, did you find her on the Internet? Did you go online and pretend you're a doctor? And what about you, missy?” She jabbed a finger in Eris’ direction. “Are you part of it too, making them feel safe so they get lured in?” <br/>Eris kept her response calm, trying not to provoke Jackie any further. <br/>  “The Doctor is my father, Mrs Tyler, and he really is a Doctor.”<br/>Jackie sneered in response. <br/>  “Prove it. Stitch this, mate!” And she slapped him, hard enough to leave a bright handprint on his cheek. </p><p>After this incident and another conversation with the policeman, the Doctor and Eris left the flat to give Rose some time with her mother. When Rose insisted that they hadn’t done anything wrong and that she hadn’t come to any harm, the policeman explained that he couldn’t really press charges, and left. <br/>Jackie sounded hurt. <br/>  “Did you think about me at all?”<br/>Rose stood, moving to hug her mum. “I did. All the time, but-”<br/>  “One phone call! Just to know that you were alive!”<br/>  “I'm sorry. I really am.”<br/>  “Do you know, what terrifies me is that you still can't say. What happened to you, Rose? What can be so bad that you can't tell me, sweetheart? Where were you?”</p><p>***</p><p>Presently, Rose walked to the roof of the block. When she’d argued with her mum when she was younger, it was her favourite place to go to cool off. Upon reaching it, she saw Eris and the Doctor perched on a low-slung concrete wall. The Doctor was still rubbing his face as she sat down. <br/>  “I can't tell her. I can't even begin. She's never going to forgive me. And I missed a year. Was it good?”<br/>He shrugged. “Middling.”<br/>  “You're so useless.”<br/>  “Well, if it's this much trouble, are you going to stay here now?”<br/>Sighing, Rose rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hand. <br/>  “I don't know. I can't do that to her again, though.”<br/>  “Well, she's not coming with us. I don't do families.”<br/>Rose managed a laugh. “She slapped you!”<br/>  “Nine hundred years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother. That hurt!”<br/>  “When you say nine hundred years?”<br/>  “That's my age.”<br/>Her eyes widened. “My mum was right. That is one hell of an age gap. Every conversation with you just goes mental. There's no one else I can talk to. I've seen all that stuff up there, the size of it, and I can't say a word. Aliens and spaceships and things, and I'm the only person on planet Earth who knows they exist.”<br/>Eris piped up. <br/>  “If it helps, I understand how you feel. When the Doctor dropped me back on Earth, I’d been travelling with him for 53 years non-stop, and had to go right back to ordinary life. I’d seen the future, the past, the depths of space. It’s not an easy thing to do alone. You could always try-” </p><p>Her comment was cut off by the sound of a horn blaring as a large spaceship passed overhead, clouds of black smoke billowing from it. As they watched, it smashed into Big Ben and crashed into the river with a splash, landing at an angle. Plumes of smoke rose towards the horizon. <br/>Rose groaned. <br/>  “Oh, that's just not fair.”</p><p>The trio ran down to street level and tried to get closer, but the army had already closed the roads.<br/>  “We're miles from the centre. The city must be grid locked. The whole of London must be closing down.”<br/>  “I know. I can't believe I'm here to see this. This is fantastic!”<br/>Rose narrowed her eyes at them both. <br/>  “Did you know this was going to happen? Did you plan this?” <br/>  “Nope.”<br/>  “Do you know why it crashed?”<br/>  “Nope.”<br/>   “Oh, I'm so glad I've got you.”<br/>Eris grinned, “Come on, Rose! To see history happening right in front of us - that’s pretty amazing.” <br/>The blonde sighed, giving in to her excitable friend. “Well, let's go and see it. Never mind the traffic, we've got the Tardis.”<br/>Humming slightly, the Doctor shot that idea down. <br/>  “Better not. They've already got one spaceship in the middle of London. I don't want to shove another one on top.”<br/>  “Yeah, but yours looks like a big blue box. No one's going to notice.”<br/>  “You'd be surprised. Emergency like this, there'll be all kinds of people watching. Trust me. The Tardis stays where it is.”<br/>Eris looked disappointed, but understanding. “Dad’s got a point. There’s a fair number of high up people who’ve probably got some idea of what the TARDIS looks like, and what’s special about it. Best to stay out of the way.” <br/>Rose had a sudden idea. “We could always do what everybody else does. We could watch it on TV.” </p><p>They ran back to the flat, where Jackie already had the news on. Unfortunately, there were also several other people gathered there in a sort of welcome home party for Rose, which made figuring out what was going on much harder as the conversation drowned out the reporters. <br/>So far, Eris had gathered that divers were being sent down to check the part of the spaceship that was underwater, and that the world’s different militaries were closely monitoring the situation. It wasn’t much to go on. At times like this, she wished they were still with UNIT on a more regular basis. </p><p>Jackie re-entered the living room with a mug for Rose and one for her friend, still shooting dirty looks at the Doctor. She’d warmed a little to Eris, but was still extremely angry with him. The Doctor had tried to listen in on the conversation, but the announcement of a body being found on the ship drew his attention again as he listened for details about where they were taking it. <br/>Halfway through the report, the channel changed suddenly to a children’s craft program that had already capitalised on the whole incident and were talking about making a spaceship cake. <br/>After a brief struggle with a toddler over the TV remote - through which Eris giggled and was no help whatsoever - the Doctor turned the program back to the news. <br/>  “...Albion Hospital. We still don't know whether it's alive or dead. Whitehall is denying everything…”<br/>As the volume inside the flat increased again, Eris and the Doctor exchanged looks and had the same idea of escape, making sure to leave while Rose was preoccupied talking with more of her mother’s friends. </p><p>The duo had made it down to the street when Rose caught up with them, clearly unimpressed that they’d tried sneaking away. <br/>  “And where do you think you're going?”<br/>Doing his best to sound nonchalant, the Doctor replied. “Nowhere. It's just a bit human in there for me. History just happened and they're talking about where you can buy dodgy top-up cards for half price.”<br/>  “And what’s your excuse? Weird as you might be, you’re still technically human.”<br/>Eris pulled a face. “It’s a bit beyond my time, that’s all. My closest experiences on Earth to this time period were in the seventies and eighties, and the world’s clearly changed a bit since then. I would stay, but you’re the only person I could make conversation with and I’d hate to get in everyone else’s way.”<br/>  “We're off on a wander, that's all.” The Doctor shrugged. <br/>Rose snorted a little in disbelief. “Right. There's a spaceship on the Thames and you're just wandering.”<br/>  “Nothing to do with me. It's not an invasion. That was a genuine crash landing. Angle of descent, colour of smoke, everything. It's perfect.”<br/>  “So?”<br/>  “So maybe this is it. First contact. The day mankind officially comes into contact with an alien race. I'm not interfering because you've got to handle this on your own. That's when the human race finally grows up. Just this morning you were all tiny and small and made of clay. Now you can expand.”<br/>One of the flats had started to play music, and the faint strains of David Bowie’s Starman reached their ears. Eris smiled, humming and dancing in time with the song. <br/>  “It’s been ages since I heard this song.” <br/>The Doctor reached out and twirled her around, calling to Rose as he did so. <br/>  “You don't need us. Go and celebrate history. Spend some time with your mum.”<br/>  “Promise you won't disappear?”<br/>  “Tell you what.” He fumbled in one of his many pockets briefly and pulled out a key on a silver chain, much like the one Eris wore. “Tardis key. It's about time you had one. See you later.”</p><p>As soon as Rose was out of sight, they walked quickly towards the TARDIS, stopping just outside when they saw what had happened to it. <br/>  “Kids, honestly.” The Doctor scoffed, rubbing at the spray painted phrase on the side - ‘Bad Wolf’. “Come on, let’s get moving.”<br/>A woman catcalled down to the Doctor as he unlocked the doors, Eris stepping in first. From the balcony of a nearby flat, Mickey Smith watched them, before running down to street level. <br/>  “Wait, Doctor! Doctor!”<br/>He was seconds too late, and slammed into the iron shutters of the empty shop where the TARDIS had been parked. Realising that the reappearance of the ship signalled Rose’s return, he sprinted towards her flat, hoping to find her there. </p><p>***</p><p>The TARDIS’ journey to the hospital was anything but smooth, and the Doctor resorted to whacking the console with a small mallet in an attempt to make it behave. Eris was trying to look at the data on the scanner, but with little success - the shaking of the time machine made it hard to focus. <br/>  “Do you think something from the crashed ship is interfering with us? She’s never normally this difficult to work with!”<br/>The Doctor ducked away from a flash of sparks and pulled at a series of levers, which calmed the ship slightly. <br/>  “Not likely. It takes a hell of a lot of power to mess with the TARDIS, and I doubt a crashed spaceship would be able to produce anywhere near enough.” <br/>  “So your piloting is just worse than usual then!”<br/>Another shake hit and the conversation ended as they struggled to stay upright and pilot the ship to her destination. <br/>Their landing was relatively graceful, and they left the TARDIS to find themselves in an ordinary looking store room. Passing Eris the sonic screwdriver, the Doctor locked the TARDIS while she unlocked the door to the store room with a soft click. Turning, he frowned in confusion. <br/>  “That was quiet.”<br/>Eris held up a thin metal tool in response and tossed the sonic back to her father. <br/>  “Learning to pick locks is an excellent way to pass the time.” <br/>Upon opening the door into the main room, they found it to be full of soldiers in red berets, lounging against various chairs and tables while they waited for their orders. Springing to attention, the soldiers grabbed their weapons and directed them at the pair. Eris raised her hands in a lazy surrender and had been about to start a conversation with them when a woman’s scream rang out, drawing everyone’s attention. <br/>  “Defence plan delta! Come on. Move! Move!” Leading the soldiers from the room, the Doctor and Eris made for the labs from which the scream had echoed.</p><p>Inside the morgue, a young doctor was cowering behind a desk, a nasty cut bleeding on her forehead. She called out to them in warning. <br/>  “It's alive! My god. It's still alive.”<br/>  “Spread out. Tell the perimeter it's a lockdown.” Eris gave the orders like she’d been commanding soldiers her whole life, and was rather irritated when they didn’t respond. <br/>  “Do it!” <br/>They jogged away to set the perimeter up, shouting to each other as they did so, missing the intruders high fiving behind them. </p><p>Eris approached the young doctor slowly and put an arm around her shaking shoulders, doing her best to calm her down. <br/>  “It’s alright now, we’re here, we can help. What’s your name?” <br/>  “I swear it was dead.”<br/>  “It’s okay, we’ll figure it out. What’s your name?” <br/>  “Doctor Sato.” <br/>  “Okay, Doctor Sato. Just breathe for me, just breathe. That’s it, nice and slow. Breathe.”<br/>The Doctor knelt beside them, resting a hand on Doctor Sato’s elbow. <br/>  “Coma, shock, hibernation, it could have been anything. What does it look like?”<br/>A loud clang cut off her answer and the Doctor stiffened, dropping his voice to a whisper. <br/>  “It's still here.”<br/>Gesturing to a nearby soldier to stand with Doctor Sato, Eris walked cautiously towards the source of the noise, stopping in her tracks when a figure peered out from behind a filing cabinet. Curiously, it rather resembled an upright pig. <br/>The Doctor moved himself to stand between the figure and his daughter, speaking quietly. <br/>  “Hello.”<br/>Panicking, the pig-creature ran into the corridor on its hind legs, dressed in a greyish spacesuit. The remaining soldiers in the corridor turned and directed their guns towards the pig, cocking the weapons and preparing to fire. Running out into the corridor after it, Eris shouted. <br/>  “Don't shoot!”<br/>It was too late. One of the soldiers fired, and the pig fell to the floor with a heavy thud, grunting softly. <br/>Crouching at the pig’s side, Eris stroked it’s head softly as the light faded from its eyes, her voice cracking as she berated the soldier. <br/>  “What did you do that for? It was scared! It was scared.”</p><p>Looking guilty, the soldier who’d fired stepped forward and helped the Doctor to carry the body back to the mortuary and place it on the examining table. <br/>The Doctor scanned the creature with the sonic screwdriver, nodding as the results matched his predictions <br/>  “Earth-based. Modified, but definitely terrestrial.”<br/>Doctor Sato was astounded. “So you're saying it's an ordinary pig from Earth?”<br/>  “More like a mermaid. Victorian showmen used to draw the crowds by taking the skull of a cat, gluing it to a fish and calling it a mermaid. Now someone's taken a pig, opened up it's brain, stuck bits on, then they've strapped it in that ship and made it dive bomb. It must've been terrified. They've taken this animal and turned it into a joke.”<br/>  “So it's a fake, a pretend, like the mermaid. But the technology augmenting its brain, it's like nothing on Earth. It's alien. Aliens are faking aliens. But why would they do that?”<br/>Looking up, she realised that the Doctor and Eris had vanished. She walked into the corridor, but there was still no sign of them. <br/>  “Doctor?”</p><p>***</p><p>As Mickey got onto the landing in front of the Tyler family’s flat, he could hear Jackie conducting a toast inside. <br/>  “Here's to the Martians!”<br/>Rolling his eyes, Mickey entered the flat, and an awkward silence fell. Everyone looked like they had been enjoying the party except Rose, who looked as though she couldn’t wait to leave. The television was still playing in the background, but nobody was paying attention. <br/>  “I was going to come and see you.” Rose mumbled guiltily, playing with her hair as she did so. <br/>One of Jackie’s friends made a comment that sounded more than a little snide. <br/>  “Someone owes Mickey an apology.”<br/>She stood. “I'm sorry, Mickey. I really am.”<br/>  “Not you.”<br/>Jackie huffed, directing Rose and Mickey through to the kitchen so they could talk with a little more privacy. “Well, it's not my fault. Be fair. What was I supposed to think?”</p><p>In the kitchen, Mickey ranted while he paced, gesturing wildly about him as Rose stared awkwardly at the opposite wall. <br/>  “You disappear, who do they turn to? Your boyfriend. Your black boyfriend. White girl goes missing? Five times I was taken in for questioning. Five times. No evidence. Course, there couldn't be, could there? And then I get her, your mother, whispering around the estate, pointing the finger. Stuff through my letterbox, and all because of you.”<br/>  “I didn't think I'd be gone so long.” Her defense was weak, and she knew it. Mickey had clearly been through hell. <br/>  “And I waited for you, Rose! Twelve months, waiting for you and the Doctor to come back.!<br/>Jackie stuck her head around the door frame. “Hold on. You knew about the Doctor? Why didn't you tell me?”<br/>Pulling her inside so he could close the kitchen door, Mickey continued his tirade. <br/>  “Yeah, yeah. Why not, Rose? Huh? How could I tell her where you went?”<br/>  “Tell me now.”<br/>  “ You might as well, because you're stuck here. The Doctor's gone. Just now. That box thing just faded away.”<br/>Rose narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”<br/>Scoffing, Mickey took great joy in answering. “He's left you. Some boyfriend he turned out to be.”<br/>Rose shoved past her mother and her boyfriend - if she could still call him that - and ran down to the street, desperately hoping that Mickey was playing some sort of joke as a form of payback. </p><p>  “He wouldn't just go, he promised me!”<br/>Mickey and Jackie had followed her; the boy crowing about the Doctor’s departure, the woman watching Rose to see how she would react. Upon reaching the corner and seeing that the TARDIS was gone, Rose stumbled to a halt. <br/>  “Oh, he's dumped you, Rose. Sailed off into space. How does it feel, huh? Now you are left behind with the rest of us Earthlings. Get used to it.”<br/>There was a note of hysteria in her voice. “He would have said.”<br/>Jackie was, understandably, very confused. <br/>  “What're you two going on about? What's going on? What's this Doctor done now?”<br/>  “He's vamoosed!” Mickey seemed to be doing some sort of victory dance as he gloated. <br/>  “He's not, because he gave me this.” Rose pulled the TARDIS key from the pocket she’d shoved it into, thrusting it into Mickey’s face. “He's not my boyfriend, Mickey. He's better than that. He-”<br/>In the palm of Rose’s hand, the TARDIS key started to glow faintly golden, and the familiar noise of the TARDIS materialising brought a smile to her face. <br/>  “I said so. Mum! Mum, go inside. Mum, don't stand there, just go inside. Just, Mum, go. Oh, blimey.”<br/>As the three of them watched, the TARDIS appeared fully, solidifying with a satisfying thunk. Jackie and Mickey were awestruck. <br/>  “How do you do that, then? How does it work?”</p><p>The doors of the TARDIS creaked open, and Eris called out from inside. <br/>  “Are you coming or not?” <br/>Rose was painfully aware that her mother and Mickey were following her into the TARDIS, but decided that she’d deal with that issue later. <br/>The Doctor sounded excited as he danced around the console “All right, so I lied. I went and had a look. But the whole crash landing is a fake! I thought so. Just too perfect. I mean, hitting Big Ben, of all things. Come on, let's go and have a look” <br/>Rose was quiet. “My mum's here.”<br/>  “Oh, that's just what I need. Don't you dare make this place domestic.” <br/>Frowning, Eris elbowed him. “Hey, it’s already domestic. I’m here!” <br/>Mickey butted in. “You ruined my life, Doctor. They thought she was dead. I was a murder suspect because of you.”<br/>  “You see what I mean? Domestic.”<br/>  “I bet you don't even remember my name.”<br/>  “Ricky.”<br/>Eris sighed. “Dad, it's Mickey.”<br/>  “No, it's Ricky.”<br/>  “It’s Mickey, I think I know my own name.”<br/>  “You think you know your own name? How stupid are you?” <br/>Watching the argument and trying to comprehend the inside of the Doctor’s impossible spaceship became too much for Jackie to bear and she ran from the TARDIS, ignoring Rose’s pleas for her to stay, to just wait a little while and talk to him properly. Eris was doing her best to diffuse the tension between Mickey and the Doctor. <br/>  “Can we focus, please? We’ve got bigger concerns to deal with than your testosterone-fueled idiocy.” <br/>Rose approached the console, standing between the Doctor and Mickey in the hopes of stopping things getting physical. “That was a real spaceship.”<br/>  “Yep.”<br/>  “So it's all a pack of lies? What is it, then? Are they invading?”<br/>Mickey frowned. “Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert.”<br/>Eris smiled, patting him on the shoulder approvingly. “Ten points to Mickey Smith! Making all the right observations!”<br/>Mickey grinned in return, and his expression brightened as the Doctor begrudgingly acknowledged his moment of brilliance. <br/>  “Good point. So, what're they up to?”</p><p>Five minutes later, the Doctor was halfway under the TARDIS console, fiddling with some bunches of wiring and circuits. Eris had disappeared into the inner recesses of the TARDIS, claiming she needed to find something. Mickey and Rose stood together, a little awkward, watching the Doctor at work. Mickey asked the obvious question. <br/>  “So, what're you doing down there?”<br/>  “Ricky.”<br/>  “Mickey.”<br/>  “Ricky. If I was to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly magnificent time ship, would you even begin to understand?”<br/>The boy frowned. “I suppose not.”<br/>  “Well, shut it, then.”<br/>He scoffed, glancing at Rose. “Some friend you've got.”<br/>The blonde winced. “He's winding you up. I am sorry. About everything”<br/>  “Every day, I looked. On every street corner, wherever I went, looking for a blue box for a whole year.”<br/>  “It's only been a few days for me. I don't know. It's hard to tell inside this thing but I swear it's just a few days since I left you.”<br/>Mickey looked slightly upset, but his voice was flat and emotionless when he spoke. <br/>  “Not enough time to miss me, then?”<br/>Rose grabbed his hand. “I did miss you.”<br/>  “I missed you. So, now that you've come back, are you going to stay?”</p><p>Eris returned to the room in a different outfit to her original one. It looked quite professional, aside from a long multicoloured scarf that was looped around her neck several times, and still trailed to the floor. In response to Rose’s questioning look, Eris explained what had happened in Doctor Sato’s morgue, and that there had been some blood on her clothes. The Doctor frowned up from where he was positioned by the console, knowing that her statement was a blatant lie. He decided to ask her later, as the monitor blinked into life above him and showed what he had been looking for. <br/>  “Got it! Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours so we can follow the flight of that spaceship. Here we go. Hold on. Come on.”<br/>All four of them huddled around the screen as the trajectory was displayed on the monitor. <br/>  “That's the spaceship on its way to Earth, see? Except. Hold on. See? The spaceship did a sling shot round the Earth before it landed.”<br/>  “What does that mean?” Rose hated it when the Doctor only explained things halfway. <br/>  “It means it came from Earth in the first place. It went up and came back down. Whoever those aliens are, they haven't just arrived, they've been here for a while. The question is, what have they been doing?” </p><p>Switching over the scanner, the Doctor let Rose flick through some of the news channels while he checked a different data panel. <br/>Mickey seemed impressed by the range of programs they were being shown. “How many channels do you get?”<br/>  “All the basic packages.”<br/>  “You get sports channels?”<br/>  “Yes, I get the football. Hold on, I know that lot.” One of the news channels was showing a large group of uniformed soldiers on Downing Street. He nudged the humans out of the way a little, peering at the screen. Eris looked over his shoulder and grinned. <br/>  “I recognise those uniforms! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” <br/>  “UNIT. United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. Good people.” He explained for the benefit of Rose and Mickey. Eris would have done so, but she seemed to be distracted by the group on the screen. The first time she’d left her own time to travel with the Doctor, they had spent a long time working with UNIT, and she had some very fond memories of the people who worked there. <br/>  “How do you know them?” <br/>Mickey sounded smug. “Because they’ve worked for them. Oh yeah, don't think I sat on my backside for twelve months, Doctor. I read up on you two. You look deep enough on the Internet or in the history books, and there's his name, followed by a list of the dead. I’ll give her credit, Eris hasn’t done nearly as much damage. But him? There’s pages and pages of names on his list.” <br/>What frustrated Mickey the most was the fact that the Doctor seemed not to care that he’d managed to learn so much about him. <br/>  “That's nice. Good boy, Ricky.”<br/>  “If you know them, why don't you go and help?” It seemed like the obvious solution to Rose. <br/>  “They wouldn't recognise me. I've changed a lot since the old days. Besides, the world's on a knife-edge. There's aliens out there and fake aliens too. We want to keep this alien out of the mix. I'm going undercover. And er, I'd better keep the Tardis out of sight. Ricky, you've got a car. You can do some driving.”<br/>The boy sighed, but agreed. “Where to?”<br/>  “The roads are clearing. Let's go and have a look at that spaceship.”</p><p>Upon stepping out of the TARDIS, they all became aware that things were not quite right. For one thing, a helicopter was hovering overhead, directing a spotlight onto the pavement outside. A sort of cordon had been formed from a collection of police cars and armoured personnel carriers. Mickey panicked and made a run for it, hiding behind some bins. <br/>  “Do not move! Step away from the box and raise your hands above your heads.” A handful of soldiers stepped away from the main group of policemen. Jackie ran into the street and tried to break through the line, before being held back. <br/>  “Rose!”<br/>One of the soldiers opened the doors of a sleek car with blacked-out windows. <br/>  “Raise your hands above your head. You are under arrest.”<br/>Rose looked at her companions, concerned. The Doctor was grinning, and Eris looked like she had been expecting the whole thing. <br/>  “Take me to your leader.”<br/>Eris groaned. “You’ve always wanted to say that, haven’t you?” </p><p>Inside the police car, sandwiched between Eris and the Doctor, Rose had to admit that things were going a little differently than she’d imagined. “This is a bit posh. If I knew it was going to be like this, being arrested, I would have done it years ago.”<br/>The Doctor shook his head. “We're not being arrested, we're being escorted.”<br/>  “Where to?”<br/>  “Where'd you think? Downing Street.”<br/>  “You're kidding.”<br/>Smirking, Eris gestured down at her clothes. “You didn’t ask why I’d picked something fancy earlier. I had an idea we’d end up talking to important people.” <br/>  “How come?” <br/>  “Earlier today, they had an alien hotline on the TV. When your mum ran out of the TARDIS this afternoon, I assumed she was going to phone it. Guess I was right.” <br/>Compared to Eris’ white lace blouse, knee length skirt and heels, Rose felt rather underdressed. The big scarf was a bit weird though, and the Doctor’s whole presence was just weird, so she didn’t feel quite so bad. <br/>The Doctor rubbed a hand over his face. “I hate to say it, but Mickey was right. Over the years I've visited this planet a lot of times, and I've been, er, noticed.”<br/>  “Now they need you?”<br/>  “Like it said on the news. They're gathering experts in alien knowledge. And who's the biggest expert of the lot?”<br/>Rose exchanged a look with Eris, amused. “Patrick Moore?”<br/>  “Apart from him.”<br/>  “Oh, don't you just love it.”<br/>  “I'm telling you. Lloyd George, he used to drink me under the table.” <br/>Eris snorted. “I remember that! You were a mess most of the nights we spent with him. Who's the Prime Minister now?”<br/>  “How should I know? I missed a year.”</p><p>***</p><p>Back at the flat, Jackie was curled on her sofa in the company of three policemen, two of whom were doing their best to comfort her. The third, an officer who had introduced himself as Strickland, seemed relatively apathetic. <br/>  “So, she's all right then? She's not in any trouble?” Jackie couldn’t really care less about what happened to her daughter’s new friends, but she didn’t want Rose to get a bad name for herself because she was hanging around with them. <br/>Strickland’s stomach gurgled unpleasantly as he sat down, frowning. <br/>  “Well, all I can say is, your daughter and her companions might be in a position to help the country. We'll need to know how she made contact with this man, if he is a man.” He then addressed his colleagues. <br/>  “Right, off you go then. I need to talk with Mrs Tyler on my own, thank you.”</p><p>***</p><p>Inside 10 Downing Street, every room was bustling with activity. Full of a mixture of armed policemen, politicians and UNIT soldiers, Rose felt extremely out of place. A young man standing in a doorway near them called out to everyone, loud and clear. <br/>  “Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right, and can I remind you ID cards are to be worn at all times.”<br/>As the trio made their way over, the man handed over two ID cards - one for the Doctor, and one for Eris. Eris clipped hers to her scarf, while the Doctor attached his to the front of his leather jacket. Holding an arm out, the man blocked Rose from entering the room. <br/>  “I'm sorry, your companion doesn't have clearance.”<br/>  “We don't go anywhere without her.” The Doctor sounded pretty authoritative, and for a moment Rose thought that they might have convinced the man to let her through. No such luck. <br/>  “You two are the code nine, not her. I'm sorry, Doctor. It is the Doctor, isn't it? She'll have to stay outside.”<br/>  “She's staying with me.”<br/>  “Look, even I don't have clearance to go in there. I can't let her in and that's a fact.”<br/>Rose gave up and interrupted gently, not wanting to cause a scene. “It's all right. You go.”<br/>From behind, an older woman approached them, looking a little concerned. <br/>  “Excuse me. Are you the Doctor?”<br/>  “Sure.” The Doctor was about to strike up a proper conversation when the man in the doorway cut him off, speaking harshly to the woman. <br/>  “We're busy. Can't you go home?”<br/>  “I just need a word in private.” <br/>Sighing, the man ushered the Doctor and Eris through to join the briefing before gently pushing the woman away from the doors. <br/>  “You haven't got clearance. Now leave it.” He turned to Rose. “I'm going to have to leave you with security.”<br/>The woman took Rose’s arm gently, steering her away from the doors. <br/>  “It's all right. I'll look after her. Let me be of some use.” When she spoke directly to Rose, her distress was audible. “Walk with me. Just keep walking. That's right. Don't look round. I’m Harriet Jones, MP Flydale North.”<br/>They stopped briefly in the entrance hall, Harriet shaking a little. <br/>  “This friend of yours, he's an expert, is that right? He knows about aliens?”<br/>  “Why do you want to know?”<br/>Rose wasn’t quite sure how to react when Harriet burst into tears, rubbing her shoulder awkwardly as she watched the last few people make their way into the briefing room. </p><p>***</p><p>Inside the briefing, a man who had introduced himself as General Asquith was beginning to explain what had, so far, been learned about the situation. Next to him stood a man named Green who was apparently standing in for the prime minister, who had mysteriously gone missing earlier in the day and not been seen since. The Doctor had already flicked through the whole pack of notes that everyone had received, and Eris looked a little uncomfortable - she’d always hated big group meetings like this. <br/>  “Now, ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention, please. As you can see from the summaries in front of you, the ship had one porcine occupant.” Asquith clicked through to a photograph of the pig, and the Doctor saw an opportunity to intervene. <br/>  “Of course, the really interesting bit happened three days ago, see, filed away under Any Other Business. The North Sea. A satellite detected a signal, a little blip of radiation, at one hundred fathoms, like there's something down there. You were just about to investigate and the next thing you know, this happens. Spaceships, pigs, massive diversion. From what?”</p><p>***</p><p>After she’d broken down in the hallway, Harriet had led Rose up to one of the Cabinet rooms, showing her a misshapen, hollowed out corpse. The skin and clothes that remained had been fashioned into some sort of costume. <br/>  “A disguise for the thing inside!” Harriet whimpered, looking over her shoulder every few seconds, fearful that the creatures she had seen before would arrive any moment. Rose was doing her best to stay calm, for Harriet’s benefit. She was unnerved too, but she had to put that aside for the moment. <br/>  “It's all right. I believe you. It's, it's alien. They must have some serious technology behind this. If we could find it, we could use it.”<br/>She moved away to search some of the many cupboards around the room. Upon opening one, the body of a man fell out, startling Rose. She was even more worried when she realised who it was. <br/>  “Oh, my God! Is that the-”<br/>The man from before happened to walk in at this moment, and groaned. <br/>  “Harriet, for God's sake. This has gone beyond a joke. You cannot just wander.” Then he noticed the body. “Oh, my God. That's the Prime Minister!”<br/>A simpering voice giggled behind them. <br/>  “Oh! Has someone been naughty?”<br/>A woman that Rose vaguely recognised as Margaret Blaine appeared in the doorway, looking very smug. The man looked bewildered, and slightly afraid.<br/>  “That's impossible. He left this afternoon. The Prime Minister left Downing Street. He was driven away!”<br/>  “And who told you that, hmm? Me.”<br/>Still giggling, Margaret reached up to her hairline and made a movement similar to undoing a zip, her hand moving from left to right across her forehead and leaving a trail of electric blue light behind.</p><p>***</p><p>In the flat, Jackie was doing her best to explain to Strickland what she’d seen inside the TARDIS. Strickland didn’t really seem to be listening though, as he moved out of Jackie’s line of sight to start the same process that Margaret had begun back in Downing Street. <br/>  “It was bigger on the inside. I don't know. What do I know about spaceships?”<br/>  “That's what worries me. You see, this man and that girl are classified as trouble. Which means that anyone associated with them is trouble. And that's my job - eliminating trouble.”</p><p>***</p><p>In the briefing room, the Doctor had come to a horrible realisation as the UNIT experts sat listening, hanging onto his every word. “If aliens fake an alien crash and an alien pilot, what do they get? Us. They get us. It's not a diversion, it's a trap. This is all about us. Alien experts. The only people with knowledge how to fight them gathered together in one room.” <br/>His speech was rudely disrupted by a loud farting noise from the front of the room. The expression on Green’s face was one of pure glee. <br/>The Doctor pulled a face. “Excuse me, do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?”<br/>  “Would you rather it was silent but deadly?”<br/>Green cackled, and General Asquith stood to unzip his forehead, revealing a large green alien , about eight feet tall with round black eyes and fearsome claws. The alien standing in the pool of Asquith’s skin suit spoke in a voice that bubbled and gurgled low in it’s throat. <br/>  “We are the Slitheen.”<br/>  “Thank you all for wearing your ID cards. They'll help to identify the bodies.” <br/>Holding up a small box, Green flicked the cover to reveal a small switch, and Eris realised what was about to happen. She tore her badge off her scarf milliseconds before Green hit the button, electrocuting everyone that still had theirs on. Including the Doctor.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. World War Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Reacting quickly, Eris tore the ID card off the Doctor’s jacket and ran for the green alien, slapping it against the thing’s thick collar. The electric shock affected both the exposed alien and Mr Green, leaving them convulsing from the charge. <br/>  “Deadly to humans, maybe.” The Doctor grinned, pulling her by the scarf and heading for the entrance hall. <br/>A thought occurred to Eris. “Dad, if the shock affected both of them even though only one touched the card, do you think it would affect others that aren’t in the room?” <br/>  “No idea! Let’s worry about that later, yeah?” They made it through the doors and kept going, not entirely sure where they were trying to go. <br/>Unbeknownst to them, both the alien in the cabinet room with Rose and Harriet and the one in the flat with Jackie were experiencing similar electrocution. This gave Rose and Harriet the chance to escape, running to another room on the same floor in an attempt to hide. However, Jackie was still trapped in the kitchen, unable to leave as the alien spasmed in the doorway. </p><p>Arriving at the flat just in time, Mickey grabbed hold of a wooden chair and smashed it over the alien’s head. The thing staggered to the side enough for Jackie to run to Mickey and escape. Turning quickly, Mickey managed to snap a photo of the creature before it recovered, and left before it had the chance to make a swing for him. </p><p>***</p><p>As the Doctor rounded a corner, Eris close behind him, he collided with a group of armed soldiers that were waiting for their next orders. <br/>  “Oi! If you want aliens, you've got them. They're inside Downing Street. Come on!”<br/>The soldiers followed them back to the briefing room, preparing their weapons as they ran. </p><p>Bursting into the room, the group found Asquith and Green looking out of breath, but entirely human. Green sounded agitated. <br/>  “Where have you been? I called for help. I sounded the alarm. There was this lightning, this kind of electricity, and they all collapsed.”<br/>Each soldier moved to check on the bodies sprawled in the chairs and over the floor. It was already painfully obvious that none of the guests had survived the incident. <br/>  “He did it! That man there. And the girl, they must have done something!” Green pointed a shaking finger at the Doctor, who sighed and turned to one of the soldiers that had accompanied them. <br/>  “I think you will find the Prime Minister is an alien in disguise.” Eris sighed at the expression of bemusement on the soldier’s face.<br/>  “That's never going to work, is it?”<br/>  “No.”<br/>  “Fair enough.”<br/>They ran, darting around lone soldiers until they found themselves trapped between two groups of armed police.<br/>  “Under the jurisdiction of the Emergency Protocols, I authorise you to execute this man.” Asquith sounded smugly jubilant as the pair slowly backed up to the wall. <br/>The Doctor managed to match Asquith’s tone perfectly. <br/>  “Well, now, yes, you see, the thing is, if I was you, if I was going to execute someone by backing them against the wall, between you and me, little word of advice.”<br/>Eris reached back and punched the button next to the lift, making the doors open so they could get away. <br/>  “Don't stand them against the lift!” Following her into the lift, the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to close the doors as quickly as possible, grinning as the lift moved at a much faster speed than it usually would.  </p><p>The doors opened at the first floor, revealing one of the Slitheen. Noticing Rose and Harriet hovering in a nearby doorway, the Doctor did his best to distract the creature, also giving Eris a chance to run to the women and direct them into another room. <br/>  “Quickly - hide, anywhere!” <br/>Rose ducked behind a large drinks cabinet and Harriet squeezed behind a folding screen. Moving quickly, Eris tucked herself into a cupboard near the door seconds before Margaret - or the thing that had been inside her - entered the room, speaking in a gurgling voice. <br/>  “Oh, such fun. Little human children, where are you? Sweet little humans, come to me. Let me kiss you better. Kiss you with my big, green lips.” Unseen, Rose crept behind the heavy curtains covering the window. </p><p>  “My brothers.” Green and Asquith arrived, as green and putrid as their sister, muscles tensing in preparation for the hunt to come. <br/>  “Happy hunting?”<br/>  “It's wonderful. The more you prolong it, the more they stink.”<br/>  “Sweat and fear.” Green hissed a little, taking a deep breath. “I can smell an old girl. Stale perfume and brittle bones.”<br/>Margaret giggled. “And a ripe youngster, all hormones and adrenaline. Fresh enough to bend before she snaps.” <br/>Asquith’s frown was audible to everyone as he inhaled. “The other is strange. Older than the first, mixed with youth like the second. An interesting prey indeed.” <br/>Yanking the curtain aside, Margaret revealed Rose to the room as she screamed and covered her face. Harriet boldly pushed out from behind the screen, exposing herself to the creatures. <br/>  “No! Take me first! Take me!”<br/>A sudden, violent crash drew everyone’s attention as Asquith fell to the floor. Eris had kicked the door of her cupboard off its hinges, and it had broken over Asquith’s head, stunning him briefly. Practically on cue, the Doctor burst into the room holding a fire extinguisher. Rose pulled the curtain down over Margaret and ran to join him as he directed the carbon dioxide spray at the creatures. <br/>Glancing over his group to make sure nobody was seriously injured, the Doctor realised that an unfamiliar face was present. <br/>  “Who the hell are you?”<br/>  “Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North.” The woman in question was shaking and slightly out of breath, but still managed a polite smile. <br/>  “Nice to meet you.”<br/>  “Likewise.”<br/>The fire extinguisher hiccupped several times before running out completely, and the Doctor threw it at the aliens for good measure before leading the others out of the room. </p><p>As they ran, Harriet grabbed the Doctor’s arm. “The Emergency Protocols are in the Cabinet Room. They give instructions for aliens.”<br/>  “Harriet Jones, I like you.” He grinned. <br/>  “And I like you too.”<br/>Painfully aware of the enraged aliens chasing them, they sped up and practically threw themselves into the Cabinet Room, watching from just inside the doorway as they approached. Grabbing a decanter of port, the Doctor held it out in front of him and pointed the sonic screwdriver at the neck of the bottle, a clear threat in his voice. <br/>  “One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof, we all go up. So back off.”<br/>All three of the creatures in the corridor took a step back and stopped, glaring. <br/>  “Right then. Question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?”<br/>Harriet piped up from behind the Doctor’s right shoulder. “They're aliens.”<br/>  “Yes. I got that, thanks.”<br/>Green sneered. “Who are you, if not human?”<br/>Confused, Harriet turned to Rose. “Who's not human?”<br/>  “He's not human.”<br/>  “He's not human?”<br/>  “Can I have a bit of hush?” The Doctor glanced back, but the girls were too engrossed in conversation to pay him any attention. <br/>  “But he's got a Northern accent.” Harriet sounded incredulous. <br/>  “Lots of planets have a north.” <br/>Turning, the Doctor pointed a finger at them. “I said hush.” He faced the Slitheen again. “Come on. You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for, invasion?”<br/>Asquith scoffed. “Why would we invade this God-forsaken rock?”<br/>  “Then something brought the Slitheen race here. What is it?”<br/>  “The Slitheen race?”<br/>Green laughed, a sound almost like a sink being unblocked. “Slitheen is not our species. Slitheen is our surname. Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer-Day-Slitheen at your service.”<br/>Edging into view beside her dad, Eris joined the discussion, having finally caught her breath. <br/>  “So, you're family.”<br/>  “A family business.”<br/>The Doctor frowned. “Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that on a God-forsaken rock?”<br/>  “Ah, excuse me? Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability?” Asquith’s voice crackled with humour. <br/>  “Is that what I said?”<br/>  “You're making it up!”<br/>  “Ah, well! Nice try. Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it.”<br/>He tried to pass the glass decanter over his shoulder to Harriet, who directed him towards Rose instead. <br/>  “You pass it to the left first.”<br/>  “Sorry.” He passed it to Eris, who passed it back to Rose, the blonde accepting it gratefully. <br/>  “Thanks.”<br/>Raising a clawed hand, Asquith raised his voice, interrupting the moment. “Now we can end this hunt with a slaughter.”<br/>Staying calm and ignoring the noises of panic from Rose and Harriet, the Doctor’s tone became lecturing. “Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marsh land. 1730, it was occupied by a Mister Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four safest walls in the whole of Great Britain. End of lesson.”<br/>Lifting a panel next to the door, he pressed a small button and thick metal shutters slammed shut across every window and door.<br/>  “Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in.”<br/>An unpleasant thought grew in the back of Rose’s mind. “And how do we get out?”<br/>The Doctor’s silence said it all, and Eris groaned, knocking her head against the wall with a gentle thud. Forward thinking had never been his strong suit. </p><p>*** </p><p>Since escaping the Slitheen in the Tyler family flat, Mickey had led Jackie back to his flat and made them both a cup of tea. Jackie was curled in the corner of his sofa as he bought the mugs out. <br/>  “Got anything stronger?” She accepted the mug, staring into it’s warm depths as she let the drink cool a little. <br/>  “No chance. I've seen you when you've had a few. This ain't time for a conga.”<br/>  “We've got to tell someone.”<br/>  “Who do we trust? For all we know, they've all got big bog monsters inside of them. I mean, this is what he does, that Doctor bloke. Everywhere he goes, death and destruction, and he's got Rose in the middle of it.”<br/>  “Has he got a great big green thing inside him, then?”<br/>Mickey snorted. “I wouldn't put it past him. But like it or not, he's the only person who knows how to fight these things.”<br/>  “I thought I was going to die.” Her voice shook as she started to cry, and Mickey leant over to give her a quick, slightly awkward hug. <br/>  “Come on, yeah? If anyone's going to cry, it's going to be me. You’re safe here. No one's going to look for you here, especially since you hate me so much.”<br/>She laughed. “You saved my life. God, that's embarrassing.”<br/>  “You're telling me.”<br/>  “He wanted me dead. And he's still out there, Mickey. That policeman. That thing.”<br/>They fell silent, hearts still racing at the thought of just how narrow an escape she’d had. </p><p>***</p><p>Back in the Cabinet Room, the Doctor and Eris were carefully moving the body of the young man into a small room, next to the late prime minister. <br/>  “What was his name?”<br/>  “Who?” Harriet looked over, expression softening a little as she saw Eris brushing the man’s hair away from his face. <br/>  “This one. The secretary or whatever he was called.” The Doctor stood, reaching a hand out to help Eris off the floor. <br/>The woman sounded a little guilty. “I don't know. I talked to him. I brought him a cup of coffee. I never asked his name.”<br/>  “Sorry. Right, what have we got? Any terminals, anything?”<br/>Rose shook her head, leaning against the table. “No. This place is antique. What I don't get is, when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?”<br/>  “He's too slim. They're big old beasts. They need to fit inside big humans.”<br/>  “But the Slitheen are about eight feet. How do they fit inside?”<br/>  “That's the device around their necks.” The Doctor gestured to his own neck. “Compression field. Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange.”<br/>Rose raised her eyebrows slightly. “Wish I had a compression field. I could fit a size smaller.”</p><p>Eris snorted, appreciating the comment, but Harriet looked between the girls, aghast. <br/>  “Excuse me, people are dead! This is not the time for making jokes.”<br/>  “Sorry. You get used to this stuff when you're friends with these two.” <br/>  “Well, that's a strange friendship.”<br/>Slapping his hands against the table, the Doctor made everyone jump. “Harriet Jones. I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones. You're not famous for anything, are you?”<br/>  “Oh, hardly. Lifelong backbencher I'm afraid, and a fat lot of use I'm being now. The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs.”<br/>Rose glanced over Harriet’s shoulder as the woman flicked through the information pack. <br/>  “Hasn't it got, like, defence codes and things? Couldn't we just launch a nuclear bomb at them?”<br/>Harriet frowned. “You're a very violent young woman.”<br/>  “I'm serious. We could.”<br/>  “Well, there's nothing like that in here. Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations.”<br/>Eris looked up. “Say that again?”<br/>  “What, about the codes?”<br/>  “Anything. All of it.” The Doctor reached out and took the folder from Harriet, flicking through the papers. <br/>  “Well, the British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a Special Resolution from the UN.” <br/>Rose rolled her eyes. “Like that's ever stopped them.”<br/>  “Exactly, given our past record. And I voted against that, thank you very much. The codes have been taken out of the government's hands and given to the UN. Is it important?”</p><p>  “Everything's important.” Sighing, the Doctor put the folder down again. <br/>Harriet rested her head in her hands. “If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted. Listen to me. I'm saying Slitheen as if it's normal.” <br/>  “What do they want, though?” Rose frowned. <br/>The Doctor was pacing. “Well, they're just one family, so it's not an invasion. They don't want Slitheen World. They're out to make money. That means they want to use something. Something here on Earth. Some kind of asset.”<br/>  “Like what, gold? Oil? Water?” Harriet was doing her best to help. <br/>  “You're very good at this.”<br/>  “Thank you.”<br/>A soft beeping interrupted them, and Rose pulled her phone from the pocket of her jeans. <br/>  “Oh, that's me.”<br/>Harriet looked on, a little bewildered. “But we're sealed off. How did you get a signal?”<br/>  “He zapped it. Super phone.”<br/>  “Then we can phone for help. You must have contacts.”<br/>  “Dead downstairs, yeah.” The Doctor grimaced. <br/>Rose checked the display. “It's Mickey.”<br/>  “Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy.”<br/>  “Yeah, he's not so stupid after all.” Holding the phone out, Rose showed the others the screen. On it was a grainy image of the Slitheen in the flat, convulsing under the electrical charge. </p><p>Rose answered the phone as the others looked on, curious. “Is she all right, though? Don't put her on, just tell me.”<br/>The Doctor reached out and snatched the phone from her hand, putting it on speaker so everyone else could listen in. <br/>  “Is that Ricky? Don't talk, just shut up and go to your computer.”<br/>  “It's Mickey, and why should I?”<br/>A pause. “Mickey the Idiot, I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but, er, I need you.”<br/>They could hear him typing as the Doctor instructed him to go to the UNIT website. <br/>  “It says password.”<br/>Eris moved closer to where the phone was resting on the table, her voice becoming professional as she recited the familiar password from memory, hoping that UNIT hadn’t changed the passwords since they’d been there. It caught Harriet a little off guard - the tone seemed far more mature than her appearance would suggest. <br/>  “Buffalo. Two Fs, one L.”</p><p>They could hear Jackie in the background. “So, what's that website?”<br/>Mickey was doing his best to explain, amazed by the sheer volume of information he now had access to. “All the secret information known to mankind. See, they've known about aliens for years. They just kept us in the dark.”<br/>  “Mickey, you were born in the dark.” The Doctor tutted. <br/>  “Leave him alone, dad. Keep using ‘Buffalo’ if it asks for the password again. Big Ben - why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?” Eris was the one pacing now, tracing a messy rectangle around the table. <br/>Harriet drummed her fingers against her elbow. “The Doctor said to gather the experts, to kill them.”<br/>Snorting, the aforementioned alien ran a hand over his face. <br/>  “That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon. You don't need to crash land in the middle of London.”<br/>Rose stared at a discoloured patch on the carpet, trying to come up with something that would be helpful. <br/>  “The Slitheen are hiding, but then they put the entire planet on red alert. What would they do that for?”</p><p>Jackie’s voice sounded louder over the phone this time; Mickey had passed it over to her to hold while he was working his way through the complex systems in place on the UNIT website. <br/>  “Oh, listen to her.” Rose could almost visualise the expression on her mum’s face that matched the nasty tone of her voice. <br/>  “At least I'm trying.”<br/>  “Well, I've got a question, if you don't mind. Since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughter disappeared off the face of the Earth.” <br/>Rose was doing her best not to start an argument while they had an audience. <br/>  “I told you what happened, I-” <br/>Jackie cut her off.<br/>  “I'm talking to him. Because I've seen this life of yours, Doctor. And maybe you get off on it, you and that girl, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer me this. Is my daughter safe?”<br/>  “I'm fine.”<br/>  “Is she safe? Will she always be safe? Can you promise me that?”<br/>The conversation fell flat, and the bystanders stood awkwardly, waiting for the Doctor’s response. It never came. Mickey took the phone back from Jackie, returning to the problem. <br/>  “We're in.”</p><p>Sitting down, the Doctor leant towards the phone. “Now then, on the left at the top, there's a tab, an icon. Little concentric circles. Click on that.”<br/>  “What is it?”<br/>  “The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal. Now hush, let me work out what it's saying.”<br/>Jackie was still waiting. “He'll have to answer me one day.”<br/>In the silence that followed, the six of them listened to the noise playing from Mickey’s computer, an odd oscillating noise that whistled and chirruped. <br/>  “It's some sort of message. It's on a loop, keeps repeating.” The Doctor’s train of thought was disrupted by the sound of a doorbell ringing on the other end of the phone. “Hush!”<br/>  “That's not me. Go and see who that is.” Mickey nudged Jackie towards the door. <br/>  “It's three o'clock in the morning.”<br/>  “Well, go and tell them that!”</p><p>As Jackie complained all the way to the front door of the flat, her voice fading as she got further away from the phone, the Doctor continued pondering over the audio. <br/>  “It's beaming out into space, who's it for?”<br/>His thought process was once again disturbed, this time by a scream. Rose jumped up from her seat and leant over the phone, Harriet and Eris watching on in concern. <br/>  “Mickey? Mickey, what’s going on?” <br/>  “They've found us.”<br/>  “Get out! Get out of there!” Rose grabbed the phone, looking like she wished she could climb through it and help them. <br/>  “We can't. It's by the front door. Oh, my God, it's unmasking. It's going to kill us.”<br/>Harriet rounded on the Doctor. “There must be some way of stopping them! You're supposed to be the expert, think of something!”<br/>  “I'm trying! If we're going to find their weakness, we need to find out where they're from. Which planet. So, judging by their basic shape, that narrows it down to five thousand planets within travelling distance. What else do we know about them? Information!” <br/>The three women in the room talked over each other, blurting out pieces of information that could be of any use to the Doctor while he tried to figure out where they were from. <br/>  “Good sense of smell.”<br/>  “Narrows it down.”<br/>  “They can smell adrenalin.”<br/>  “Narrows it down.”<br/>  “The pig technology.”<br/>  “Narrows it down.”<br/>  “The spaceship in the Thames, you said slipstream engine?”<br/>  “Narrows it down.”<br/>Mickey shouted to them, his voice muffled slightly by the sound of the Slitheen trying to break down the door of his flat. “It's getting in!”</p><p>  “They hunt like it's a ritual.”<br/>  “Narrows it down.”<br/>Harriet gasped, “Wait a minute. Did you notice? When they fart, if you'll pardon the word, it doesn't just smell like a fart, if you'll pardon the word, it's something else. What is it? It's more like, er-”<br/>Rose finished the thought. “Bad breath!”<br/>  “That's it!”<br/>  “Calcium decay! Now, that narrows it down! Calcium phosphate. Organic calcium. Living calcium. Creatures made out of living calcium. What else? What else? Hyphenated surname. Yes! That narrows it down to one planet. Raxacoricofallapatorius!” The Doctor proclaimed excitedly, before rolling his eyes at Mickey’s snarky comment. <br/>  “Oh, yeah, great. We could write them a letter!”</p><p>Eris took the phone from Rose, having figured out how to deal with the Slitheen. <br/>  “Mickey, go to the kitchen. You need vinegar, as much as you can find!” <br/>Seeing Harriet’s confusion, the Doctor explained what the girl had worked out. <br/>  “Calcium, weakened by the compression field. Acetic acid. Vinegar!”<br/>  “Just like Hannibal!”<br/>  “Just like Hannibal.” <br/>They could hear Jackie throwing open cupboard doors and pouring a variety of vinegar-related products into a jug, listing them while Mickey covered her back, watching the Slitheen’s claws making holes in his kitchen door. <br/>  “Gherkins. Yeah, pickled onions. Pickled eggs!”<br/>Eris and the Doctor pulled similar expressions of disgust, looking at Rose. <br/>  “And you kiss this man?” <br/>Their synchronicity would have made Rose laugh if she hadn’t been able to hear the alien break the door down in Mickey’s flat, roar, then pause. Everyone listened nervously as a wet farting sound echoed in the room, before a squelching splatter. Then, nothing. <br/>  “Mum? Are you alright?” <br/>Jackie sounded a little dazed. “Yeah, yeah. It’s dead.” <br/>Rose sighed in relief, before turning to Harriet. <br/>  “Hannibal?”<br/>  “Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar.” The woman leant against the table next to Eris, who was pouring them a glass of port each. “How did you know that would work on the Slitheen?” <br/>The brunette grinned, handing a glass to Harriet. “I was in contact with a French chemist a few years back, and helped him out with a few experiments. Chemistry happens to be a strong point of mine.” <br/>The Doctor took a glass, and passed one to Rose. <br/>  “Who was that?” <br/>  “A man called Lavoisier. He was working on oxygen identification and wanted a hand.”<br/>Harriet frowned. “Lavoisier, as in Antoine Lavoisier? The first scientist to identify oxygen? But he died in 1794!” <br/>  “This was back in 1778, while I was living in France. I’d known him for about six years by then, lovely man.” She sipped her drink, trying not to laugh at the others’ reactions. </p><p>A burst of noise from the phone made them jump.<br/>  “I’ve got the phone up to the TV. Listen to this.” As Mickey finished speaking, they could hear the voice of Mr Green, presumably looking very ordinary, giving an interview. <br/>  “Ladies and gentlemen, nations of the world. The greatest experts in extra-terrestrial events came here tonight. They gathered in the common cause, but the news I bring you now is grave indeed. The experts are dead, murdered right in front of me by alien hands. These visitors do not come in peace. Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction capable of being deployed within forty five seconds. Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction, unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship. I beg of the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the heart of the beast is our only chance of survival - because from this moment on, it is my solemn duty to inform you planet Earth is at war.” </p><p>The Doctor rolled his eyes. “He's making it up. There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it.”<br/>  “Do you think they'll believe him?” Harriet was wringing her hands nervously. <br/>  “Oh yeah. That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole world panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out. You release the defence code and the Slitheen go nuclear.”<br/>  “But why?”<br/>  “Let's find out!” Moving towards the door, the Doctor punched the same button he’d used earlier and the shutters slid open, revealing Margaret standing there, back in her human suit. <br/>  “You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked.”<br/>Margaret sounded smug. “And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away.”<br/>  “That signal you’re beaming into space, it’s an advert. You’re doing this for profit.”<br/>  “The sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel.”<br/>  “At the cost of five billion lives.” The Doctor looked disgusted by how blasé she was being. <br/>Margaret shrugged. “Bargain.”<br/>  “I give you a choice. Leave this planet or I'll stop you.”<br/>  “What, you? Trapped in your box?”<br/>  “Yes. Me.” There was no warmth in his smile as he closed the shutters again, silencing Margaret’s laughter. </p><p>Jackie’s voice crackled slightly over the phone. “All right, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do.” Mickey rejoined the conversation, audibly frustrated. <br/>  “There's loads of emergency numbers, but they're all on voicemail.”<br/>Harriet groaned. “Voicemail dooms us all.”<br/>  “If we could just get out of here-” Rose wasn’t quite sure how to finish her point when the Doctor spoke up, his voice quiet and serious. <br/>  “There's a way out.”<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “There's always been a way out.”<br/>  “Then why don't we use it?”<br/>He picked up the phone, talking directly to Jackie. <br/>  “Because I can't guarantee your daughter will be safe.”</p><p>Her response was instant. “Don't you dare. Whatever it is, don't you dare.” <br/>  “That's the thing. If I don't dare, everyone dies.”<br/>  “Do it.” Rose sounded surprisingly calm. <br/>  “You don't even know what it is. You'd just let me?”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>Jackie sounded desperate. “Please Doctor. Please. She's my daughter. She's just a kid!”<br/>  “Do you think I don't know that? Because this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will. I could save the world but lose her.” <br/>Harriet interrupted. “Except it's not your decision, Doctor. It's mine.”<br/>  “And who the hell are you?” Jackie snapped. <br/>  “Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you. Do it.”</p><p>  “How do we get out?” Rose watched as the Doctor made his way around the room, knocking against the walls. <br/>  “We don't. We stay here.”<br/>Eris took the phone again. “Mickey, we’re hacking into the Royal Navy. Use the buffalo password. It overrides everything.”<br/>A short burst of typing was followed by his answer. “We're in. Here it is. HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, ten miles off the coast of Plymouth.”<br/>Coming back to the table, the Doctor leant over Eris’ shoulder. “Right, we need to select a missile.”<br/>  “We can't go nuclear. We don't have the defence codes.”<br/>  “We don't need it. All we need's an ordinary missile. What's the first category?”<br/>  “Sub Harpoon, UGM-A4A.”<br/>  “That's the one. Select. Mickey the idiot, the world is in your hands. Fire.”<br/>He clicked the mouse, and Jackie whimpered slightly. <br/>  “Oh, my God.”</p><p>Realising what the Doctor had been doing, Harriet really hoped she’d like the answer to her next question. “How solid are these?” She didn’t. <br/>  “Not solid enough. Built for short range attack, nothing this big.”<br/>Rose clapped her hands together and opened the door to the cupboard the others had moved the bodies to earlier on. “All right, now I'm making the decision. I'm not going to die. We're going to ride this one out. It's like what they say about earthquakes. You can survive them by standing under a door frame. Now, this cupboard's small so it's strong. Come and help me. Come on.”<br/>As they cleared enough space in the cupboard for the four of them to huddle, Mickey got their attention. <br/>  “Counter defence five five six.”<br/>  “Stop them intercepting it.” The Doctor shepherded the women into the cupboard, closing the door behind them. <br/>  “I'm doing it now.”<br/>  “Good boy.”<br/>  “Five five six neutralised.”<br/>Hanging up, the Doctor crouched between Harriet and Eris, an arm around each of them, while Rose tucked herself under Eris’ free arm. <br/>  “Here we go. Nice knowing the three of you. Hannibal!” <br/>Harriet barely finished her sentence before the missile struck, the building shaking violently around them. The temperature inside their cupboard rose a few degrees as it rolled, before settling at an angle, the occupants slamming against the wall in a heap. Untangling from each other, they stumbled out of the cupboard towards the steel shutters over the door, the Doctor opening them with the sonic screwdriver. Blinking in the sudden brightness and picking their way through the remnants of 10 Downing Street, the four of them stepped into the street. A young secretary stood there, watching them in shock. <br/>  “Oh, my God. Are you alright?”<br/>Harriet took over, seeing as she was the only person with any actual status. “Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact the UN immediately. Tell the ambassadors the crisis is over. They can step down. Go on, tell the news.”<br/>  “Yes, ma'am.”<br/>  “Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh, Lord. We haven't even got a Prime Minister.”<br/>  “Maybe you should have a go.” The Doctor grinned. <br/>  “Me? I'm only a back-bencher.”<br/>Rose joined in. “I'd vote for you.”<br/>  “Now, don't be silly. Look, I'd better go and see if I can help. Hang on! We're safe! The Earth is safe! Sergeant! The crisis has passed! Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to say to you all here today! Mankind stands tall, proud and undefeated. God bless the human race.”<br/>As Rose led her friends back to her flat, the Doctor finally remembered why the name had been familiar. <br/>  “I thought I knew the name. Harriet Jones, future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms. The architect of Britain's Golden Age.”</p><p>***</p><p>The Doctor and Eris had returned to the TARDIS while Rose went to meet her mum, the former claiming he had to sort out some kind of calibrations in the ship. It was very clearly an excuse not to be in the same room as Jackie again, but Rose was too tired to argue. On the TV, Harriet Jones was being interviewed by the news, and sounded like she was in her element. <br/>  “Mankind stands tall, proud…”<br/>Jackie scoffed. “Harriet Jones. Who does she think she is? Look at her, taking all the credit. Should be you on there. My daughter saved the world!”<br/>  “I think the Doctor helped a bit.”<br/>  “All right, then. Him too. You should be given knighthoods.”<br/>  “That's not the way he does things. No fuss. He just moves on. He's not that bad if you gave him a chance.”<br/>  “He's good in a crisis, I'll give him that.”<br/>Rose gasped mockingly. “Oh, now the world has changed. You're saying nice things about him!<br/>  “Well, I reckon I've got no choice. There's no getting rid of him since you're infatuated.”<br/>  “I'm not infatuated!” <br/>  “What does he eat?” Jackie changed the subject, already deep in thought. <br/>  “How do you mean?”<br/>  “I was going to do shepherds pie. All of us. A proper sit down, because I'm ready to listen. I want to learn about you and them and that life you lead. Only, I don't know, they’re alien. For all I know, they eat grass and safety pins and things.” <br/>Laughing, Rose shook her head. “Eris is human mum, and he'll eat shepherds pie. You're going to cook for him?”<br/>  “What's wrong with that?”<br/>  “He's finally met his match. I think Eris will enjoy the show.” <br/>  “You're not too old for a slap, you know. You can go and visit your Gran tomorrow. You'd better learn some French. I told her you were in France. I said you were au-pairing.” As Jackie left the room, Rose’s phone rang. The screen ID said the call was coming from the TARDIS.</p><p>  “Hello?”<br/>  “Right, I've got one last thing to do, then we can go.”<br/>  “You've got a phone?”<br/>The man sounded incredulous. “You think I can travel through space and time and I haven't got a phone? Like I said, one last thing. I've just got to send out this dispersal. There you go. That's cancelling out the Slitheen's advert in case any bargain hunters turn up.”<br/>  “Er, my mother's cooking.” Rose wasn’t quite sure how to approach the conversation - he’d already made it clear that ‘domestic’ wasn’t his thing. <br/>  “Good. Put her on a slow heat and let her simmer.” And then, the sound of a hand thumping against leather. “Oi!” <br/>  “Be nice!” Eris’ voice was faint in the background. <br/>  “She's cooking tea. For us.”<br/>  “I don't do that.”<br/>  “She wants to get to know you.”<br/>There was a sense of finality about the Doctor’s response, as though he really didn’t want to keep talking about it. “Tough. I've got better things to do.”<br/>  “It's just tea.”<br/>  “Not to me it isn't.”<br/>  “She's my mother.”<br/>  “Well, she's not mine.”<br/>Rose groaned, frustrated by his stubbornness. “That's not fair.”</p><p>  “Well, you can stay there if you want, but right now there's this plasma storm brewing in the Horsehead Nebula. Fires are burning ten million miles wide. I could fly the Tardis right into the heart of it then ride the shock wave all the way out, hurtle right across the sky and end up anywhere. Your choice.” In the silence that followed, the Doctor knew he’d won. There was no way Rose would choose the normality of a family dinner over the adrenaline rush he was promising. She hung up the phone. </p><p>Jackie returned to Rose’s room, not realising at first that her daughter was excitedly shoving handfuls of her clothes into a large travellers rucksack. “Rose, I was thinking. I've got that bottle of Amaretto from New Year's Eve. Does he drink? And Eris - it is Eris, isn’t it, pretty name - is she old enough to drink? I-” Rose looked up and made awkward eye contact. Her mum became subdued. “I was wondering whether he drinks or not.”<br/>  “Yeah, he does.”<br/>  “Don't go, sweetheart. Please don't go.”</p><p>***</p><p>Mickey and Eris were sharing a newspaper as they sat on top of a rubbish bin and watched the Doctor supervising a young boy scrubbing the Bad Wolf graffiti from the side of the TARDIS. <br/>  “Good lad. Graffiti that again and I'll have you. Now, beat it.”<br/>As the Doctor joined them, Mickey pointed out the headline - ‘Alien Hoax’. <br/>  “I just went down the shop, and I was thinking, you know, like the whole world's changed. Aliens and spaceships all in public. And here it is. How could they do that? They saw it.”<br/>  “They're just not ready. You're happy to believe in something that's invisible, but if it's staring you in the face, nope, can't see it. There's a scientific explanation for that. You're thick.”<br/>  “We're just idiots.”<br/>Eris elbowed him gently, smiling. “Not all of you.”<br/>  “Yeah?”<br/>Agreeing with his daughter, the Doctor passed a CD in a clear case to Mickey. <br/>  “That's a virus. Put it online. It'll destroy every mention of the two of us. We'll cease to exist.”<br/>  “What do you want to do that for?”<br/>  “Because you're right, I am dangerous. I don't want anybody following me. And it wouldn’t exactly be difficult for people to find me if they found anything about Eris.”<br/>Jackie and Rose came out of the block of flats; Jackie looked upset and it wasn’t exactly hard to guess why. </p><p>  “How can you say that and then take her with you?”<br/>Looking at her dad for reassurance, Eris’ request was quiet. “You could look after her. Come with us.”<br/>Mickey shook his head, his tone apologetic. “I can't. This life of yours, it's just too much. I couldn't do it. Don't tell her I said that.”<br/>The conversation died as Rose and her mother approached, their own conversation audible. Eris wiped the look of disappointment off her face and hopped off the bin to stand with the Doctor. <br/>  “I'll get a proper job. I'll work weekends. I'll pass my test, and if Jim comes round again, I'll say no. I really will.” Jackie was almost pleading. <br/>  “I'm not leaving because of you. I'm travelling, that's all, and then I'll come back.”<br/>  “But it's not safe.”<br/>  “Mum, if you saw it out there you'd never stay home.”<br/>  “Got enough stuff?” Eris grinned and held her hand out for Rose’s backpack, hauling it onto her own shoulder. <br/>  “Last time I stepped in there, it was spur of the moment. Now I'm signing up. You're stuck with me.” She held a hand out to Mickey. “Come with us. There's plenty of room.”<br/>The Doctor crossed his arms. “No chance. He's a liability, I'm not having him on board.”<br/>  “We'd be dead without him!” Rose looked incredulously between him and Mickey. <br/>  “My decision is final.”</p><p>Kissing her boyfriend goodbye, whispering an apology as she did so, Rose moved to follow her friends into the TARDIS. But Jackie wasn’t quite finished yet. <br/>  “You still can't promise me. What if she gets lost? What if something happens to you, Doctor, and she's left all alone standing on some moon a million light years away. How long do I wait then?”<br/>  “Mum, you're forgetting. It's a time machine. I could go travelling around suns and planets and all the way out to the edge of the universe, and by the time I get back, yeah, ten seconds would have passed. Just ten seconds. So stop worrying. See you in ten seconds' time, yeah?”<br/>She hugged her tightly, before stepping into the TARDIS. The doors closed and it dematerialised, leaving Mickey and Jackie in the street. Looking at her watch, Jackie counted to ten, her shoulders sagging when the TARDIS didn’t reappear. Dejected, she walked back to the flat as Mickey settled on top of the bin again, going back to reading the newspaper.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Dalek</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In a room with grey concrete walls, a grey concrete floor and a grey concrete ceiling, the deep blue of the TARDIS stood out boldly as it materialised between two of the room’s many display cases. <br/>  “Some kind of signal drawing the Tardis off course. That’s odd.” The Doctor was the first to leave the TARDIS, looking around as the girls followed. <br/>  “Where are we?” Rose squinted a little, trying to see the things inside the cases clearly - currently, they were all dark. <br/>  “Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground.”<br/>  “And when are we?”<br/>  “Two thousand and twelve.”<br/>Patting at the wall, the Doctor found a switch and flipped it, lighting up the cases and the corners of the room, bringing every detail sharply into view. <br/>  “God, that's so close. So I should be twenty six.” <br/>Beside her, Eris pulled a face. “I don’t even want to think about how old I’d be.”<br/>Taking the opportunity to look at the cases, Rose realised exactly what sort of place they’d landed in. <br/>  “Blimey. It's a great big museum!”<br/>  “An alien museum.” The Doctor corrected. “Someone's got a hobby. They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship.”<br/>A horribly familiar green appendage caught Rose’s eye. “That's a bit of Slitheen! That's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed.”</p><p>Eris was frowning over a case in the next row. “Dad, come and look at this.” The case contained the structured, silver head of what was probably some kind of robot. It looked relatively humanoid compared to many of the other artefacts, but was still obviously alien. Rose and the Doctor joined her. <br/>  “What is it?”<br/>The Doctor matched his daughter’s expression. “An old friend of ours. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old.”<br/>  “Is that where the signal is coming from?”<br/>  “No, it's stone dead. Has been for a long time. The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help.” He reached out, touching the display case. From the moment his fingers made contact an alarm blared, heralding the arrival of a troop of armed guards who surrounded them and cut them off from the TARDIS. <br/>Rose tried to keep her tone jovial. “If someone is collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A.”</p><p>***</p><p>A woman who’d introduced herself as Diana Goddard let the three of them into an opulent office, where an American man with a receding hairline and a moustache was talking to a younger man, about Rose’s age.<br/>  “What does it do?”<br/>The other man had a British accent. “Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel.”<br/>  “I really wouldn't hold it like that.” The Doctor said mildly. Goddard rounded on him, pointing a warning finger. <br/>  “Shut it.”<br/>  “Really, though, that's wrong.”<br/>The young man looked worried. “Is it dangerous?”<br/>  “No, it just looks silly.” As he reached for the device, the weapons of the guards clicked as they prepared to use them. Cautious, the American handed him the curved object, which sat perfectly in the palm of the Doctor’s hand. <br/>  “You just need to be-” Stroking the artefact gently produced a soft, melodic tone. “-delicate.”<br/>He repeated the action to combine several notes, creating a sweet harmony. <br/>  “It's a musical instrument.” The American looked impressed. <br/>  “And it's a long way from home.”<br/>  “Here, let me.” Unlike the Doctor, the American could only get a discordant jangling sound from the object and eventually gave up, tossing it casually onto the floor. <br/>  “Who exactly are you?”<br/>  “I'm the Doctor. And who are you?”<br/>The man laughed, the guards in the room joining in. “Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake.”<br/>  “Pretty much sums me up, yeah.” The Doctor grinned in response. <br/>  “The question is, how did you get in? Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplices. You're quite a collector yourself, they’re rather pretty.”</p><p>Rose scowled. “I’m going to smack you if you keep talking like that!”<br/>  “She's English too!” The man stood and rested a hand casually on Eris’ shoulder, shooting her what he thought was a charming grin. “And how about you, missy?” <br/>Eris’ tone was steely as she rested a hand over the man’s, smiling coldly. <br/>  “Touch me again and I’ll break your nose.” <br/>He let go, looking slightly disturbed by her threat. <br/>  “Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you a choice of girlfriends here.”<br/>The English boy stuttered a little as he introduced his boss. “This is Mister Henry Van Statten.”<br/>Rose was still none the wiser. “And who's he when he's at home?”<br/>  “Mister Van Statten owns the internet.”<br/>  “Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet.”<br/>  “And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?” Van Statten grinned and moved to put an arm around both girls’ shoulders before remembering Eris’ threat and letting them fall to his sides. The Doctor didn’t sound convinced by Van Statten’s ego. <br/>  “So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up.”<br/>  “And you claim greater knowledge?”<br/>  “I don't need to make claims, I know how good I am.”<br/>If anything, his comment seemed to inflate Van Statten’s sense of self-importance even further, which hardly seemed possible. <br/>  “And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?”<br/>  “You tell me.”<br/>  “The cage contains my one living specimen.”<br/>  “And what's that?”<br/>The narcissistic American scoffed. “Like you don't know.”<br/>  “Show me.”<br/>  “You want to see it?”<br/>Rose whispered to Eris, “Blimey, you can smell the testosterone.” and both girls stifled a snort of laughter. <br/>  “Goddard, inform the Cage we're heading down. You, English. Look after the girls. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do - but please keep that information to yourself. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet.”<br/>The boy introduced himself as Adam, and led the girls out of Van Statten’s office. Meanwhile, Van Statten himself took the Doctor even further down in the complex until they were standing outside a room that he referred to only as ‘The Cage’. </p><p>  “We've tried everything. The creature has shielded itself but there's definite signs of life inside.” He explained as a pair of technicians working at a computer panel handed him a sheet of printed data. The Doctor frowned at his choice of words. <br/>  “Inside? Inside what?”<br/>A guard approached, holding a set of thick protective gloves. “Welcome back, sir. I've had to take the power down. The Metaltron is resting.”<br/>  “Metaltron?”<br/>Van Statten puffed his chest. “Thought of it myself. Good, isn't it? Although I'd much prefer to find out it's real name.”<br/>The guard passed the gloves to the Doctor, who declined, saying he wouldn’t be touching it anyway. As he entered the Cage, he could hear Van Statten telling the technicians to monitor everything more closely. </p><p>Once the door slammed shut, clanging as it locked, the inside of the Cage was pitch black. It was completely silent, too. Not a single sound. The Doctor couldn’t help but feel sorry for the creature that lived in here. How long had they been like this, alone and cut off from everyone else? He kept his voice soft, trying to keep the cell’s occupant calm. <br/>  “Look, I'm sorry about this. Mister Van Statten might think he's clever, but never mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor.”<br/>Slowly, a blue glow faded into existence, around five feet off the floor. As the thing spoke, a pair of white lights flashed in time with each syllable. The thing’s harsh, mechanical voice was all too familiar to the Doctor, and he backed away a little. <br/>  “Doc...tor?”<br/>  “Impossible.” He breathed, backing away further. How could it have survived? <br/>  “The Doctor?”<br/>On cue, the overhead lights in the Cage switched on, revealing the cracked, tarnished hull of a Dalek, held back by chains at the opposite end of the room. Upon seeing the Doctor clearly, the Dalek became significantly more agitated. <br/>  “Exterminate! Exterminate!”<br/>Terrified, the Doctor hammered at the door, praying that Van Statten and his people outside would release the lock. <br/>  “Let me out!”<br/>  “Exterminate!”</p><p>The Dalek tried to fire and failed, a stuttering whine emitting from the gun arm. “You are an enemy of the Daleks! You must be destroyed!” Nothing happened except a slight twitch, and the Doctor realised exactly what that meant. <br/>  “Fantastic! Oh, fantastic! Powerless! Look at you. The great space dustbin. How does it feel?” He didn’t even bother trying to keep his rage out of his voice; after everything they had done, he deserved to be angry. He strode towards the trapped Dalek until he was barely an inch away from it’s eyepiece, staring into it. <br/>  “Keep back!”<br/>  “What for? What're you going to do to me? If you can't kill, then what are you good for, Dalek? What's the point of you? You're nothing. What the hell are you here for?”<br/>  “I am waiting for orders.”<br/>  “What does that mean?”<br/>  “I am a soldier. I was bred to receive orders.”<br/>His tone turned smug. “Well you're never going to get any. Not ever.”<br/>  “I demand orders!<br/>  “They're never going to come! Your race is dead! You all burnt, all of you. Ten million ships on fire. The entire Dalek race wiped out in one second.”<br/>  “You lie!”<br/>  “I watched it happen. I made it happen!”<br/>There was a tense pause as the Dalek processed the statements. “You destroyed us?”<br/>The Doctor could feel his chest tightening as he relived those awful moments. <br/>  “I had no choice.”<br/>  “And what of the Time Lords?”<br/>  “Dead. They burnt with you. The end of the last great Time War. Everyone lost.”<br/>  “And the coward survived.” If it was possible for a Dalek to jeer, this one was certainly doing so. <br/>Sneering, the Doctor stepped forwards again, mocking the Dalek’s helpless state. “Oh, and I caught your little signal. Help me. Poor little thing. But there's no one else coming 'cause there's no one else left.”<br/>  “I am alone in the universe.”<br/>  “Yep.” <br/>  “So are you. We are the same.”<br/>This drove the Doctor over the edge and he bellowed, loud enough that he wouldn’t have been surprised if his companions could hear him on the floors above. “We're not the same!” He staggered away, horrified by the implications. Then paused, an idea coming to him. “No, wait. Maybe we are. You're right. Yeah, okay. You've got a point. Because I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve. Exterminate.”<br/>Reaching a console against the far wall he pulled a lever, lighting the Dalek up with aggressive electrical tendrils. <br/>  “Have pity!”<br/>  “Why should I? You never did!”</p><p>He moved to increase the voltage but was grabbed by the guards and dragged from the room as Van Statten entered, staring at his prized possession in amazement. <br/>  “I saved your life. Now talk to me. Goddamn it, talk to me!”<br/>Another guard entered, switching off the electricity. <br/>  “The last in the universe. And now I know your name. Dalek. Speak to me, Dalek. I am Henry van Statten, now recognise me! Make it talk again, Simmons. Whatever it takes.” Van Statten stormed from the room when he didn’t get a verbal response, leaving the guard to use whichever techniques he desired to extract more information from the creature. </p><p>***</p><p>While the chaos was occurring downstairs, Adam led Eris and Rose to a cluttered storeroom filled with broken hunks of metal and complex bundles of wiring. Shelves and baskets overflowed with junk, spilling onto the floor in so many places that the girls had to make every step carefully to make sure they didn’t end up on the floor. Adam looked a little embarrassed by the state of the place. <br/>  “Sorry about the mess. Mister Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods. What do you think that is?” He passed Rose a jagged piece of metal about an inch thick, eyes shining in excitement. <br/>Rose was underwhelmed. “Er, a lump of metal?”<br/>  “Yeah. Yeah, but I think, well, I'm almost certain, it's from the hull of a spacecraft. The thing is, it's all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth. They really exist.”<br/>  “That's amazing.” <br/>Eris smothered a snort. Somehow, Adam hadn’t noticed Rose’s tone, and continued talking as if the blonde hadn’t said anything. <br/>  “I know it sounds incredible, but I honestly believe the whole universe is just teeming with life.”<br/>  “I'm gobsmacked, yeah. And you do what, sit here and catalogue it?”<br/>  “Best job in the world.”<br/>Leaning on one of the few clear spaces along the workbench that took up the back wall, Eris grinned wickedly. “Imagine you could get out there. Travel amongst the stars and see it for real. Would you want to?” <br/>He sighed. “Yeah, I'd give anything, but I don't think it's ever going to happen. Not in our lifetimes.”<br/>  “What about all those people who say they've been inside of spaceships, and talked to aliens?”<br/>  “I think they're nutters.”<br/>Eris shrugged nonchalantly, rolling her eyes when he turned away. Rose took the opportunity to learn a little more about him - he was rather good looking, and it couldn’t hurt. <br/>  “Yeah, me too. So, how'd you end up here?”<br/>  “Van Statten has agents all over the world looking for geniuses to recruit.” <br/>  “Oh, right. You're a genius.” Rose didn’t sound convinced. <br/>  “Sorry, but yeah. I can't help it. I was born clever. When I was eight, I logged onto the US Defence System. Nearly caused World War Three.”<br/>Frowning, Eris moved to stand beside Rose, arms crossed over her chest. “Is that supposed to be funny?” <br/>Adam sounded defensive, and turned his attention to Rose, hoping for her approval instead.<br/>  “Well, you should've been there just to see them running about. Fantastic!”<br/>The blonde grinned. “You sound like the Doctor.”<br/>  “Are you and him?”<br/>  “No, we're just friends.”<br/>  “Good.”<br/>Out of the corner of her eye, Rose could see Eris mock-gagging at the interaction. <br/>  “Why is it good?”<br/>  “It just is.”</p><p>  “So, wouldn't you rather be downstairs? I mean, you've got these bits of metal and stuff, but Mister Van Statten has a living creature down there.”<br/>  “Yeah. Yeah, well, I did ask, but he keeps it to himself. Although, if you're a genius, it doesn't take long to patch through on the comms system.”<br/>  “Let's have a look, then.”<br/>Adam’s genius was apparent as he typed quickly, bypassing the security in under a minute and enlarging the footage so it filled the entire computer screen. <br/>  “It doesn't do much, the alien. It's weird. It's kind of useless. It's just like this great big pepper pot.”<br/>Rose watched, horrified, as a guard took a drill to the casing of the creature and sparks flew. The footage was muted, but it was obvious that the creature was significantly distressed. <br/>  “It's being tortured! Where's the Doctor?”<br/>  “I don't know.”<br/>Eris moved to look over Rose’s shoulder at the display, but the security camera dissolved into static before she could get a proper look at the alien. <br/>  “Take us down there. Now.”</p><p>***</p><p>Van Statten and his goons had shepherded the Doctor, who was still seething, into a lift; the pompous American was questioning the Doctor relentlessly. <br/>  “The metal's just battle armour. The real Dalek creature's inside.” The Doctor stared at the control panel next to the doors, too unnerved to make eye contact with anyone. <br/>  “What does it look like?”<br/>  “A nightmare. It's a mutation. The Dalek race was genetically engineered. Every single emotion was removed except hate.”<br/>  “Genetically engineered. By whom?”<br/>The Doctor’s voice was flat, completely toneless. “By a genius, Van Statten. By a man who was king of his own little world. You'd like him.”<br/>Goddard frowned. “It's been on Earth for over fifty years. Sold at a private auction, moving from one collection to another. Why would it be a threat now?”<br/>  “Because I'm here. How did it get to Earth? Does anyone know?”<br/>  “The records say it came from the sky like a meteorite. It fell to Earth on the Ascension Islands. Burnt in its crater for three days before anybody could get near it and all that time it was screaming. It must have gone insane.” <br/>  “It must have fallen through time. The only survivor.” His fists clenched. <br/>  “You talked about a war?”<br/>  “The Time War. The final battle between my people and the Dalek race.”<br/>Van Statten kept his voice quiet, having just about enough human decency to understand that this was not a subject the Doctor was discussing willingly. “But you survived, too.”<br/>  “Not by choice.”<br/>  “This means that the Dalek isn't the only alien on Earth. Doctor, there's you. The only one of your kind in existence.” Unfortunately, empathy wasn’t one of Van Statten’s strongest attributes and soon gave way to fascination as he realised just how much he could learn about the Doctor. The alien in question looked a little wary, and was right to do so. </p><p>Less than five minutes later, the Doctor had been stripped from the waist up and strapped upright to a board, standing in the path of a powerful laser scanning device that definitely looked too futuristic for the early 21st century. He was shaking from the pain as Van Statten repeatedly used the device, scanning him multiple times. <br/>  “Two hearts! Binary vascular system. Oh, I am definitely going to patent this.”<br/>  “So that's your secret. You don't just collect this stuff, you scavenge it.” The Doctor struggled to articulate past the twitching of his jaw, his teeth still clenched in agony. <br/>  “This technology has been falling to Earth for centuries. All it took was the right mind to use it properly. Oh, the advances I've made from alien junk. You have no idea, Doctor. Broadband? Roswell. Just last year my scientists cultivated bacteria from the Russian crater, and do you know what we found? The cure for the common cold. Kept it strictly within the laboratory of course. No need to get people excited. Why sell one cure when I can sell a thousand palliatives?”<br/>  “Do you know what a Dalek is, Van Statten? A Dalek is honest. It does what it was born to do for the survival of its species. That creature in your dungeon is better than you.”<br/>  “In that case, I will be true to myself and continue.”<br/>  “Listen to me!” The Doctor spat. “That thing downstairs is going to kill every last one of us!”<br/>  “Nothing can escape the Cage.”<br/>Van Statten used the laser again, enjoying the strain on his specimen’s face. <br/>  “But it's woken up. It knows I'm here and it's going to get out. My daughter is here, Van Statten, and my best friend. I swear, no one on this base is safe. No one on this planet!”<br/>Ignoring his pleas and protests, the man continued to use the device, relishing in the sound of the other man’s screaming. </p><p>***</p><p>Having made it down to the Cage level, Adam was concerned to see that the cameras monitoring the inside of the cell had stopped working. <br/>  “Those cameras never fail - and they haven’t been switched off since that thing showed up. Not once.” <br/>Eris nudged him gently out of the way, fiddling with some of the controls. <br/>  “I’ve picked up a few things over the years, being stuck with the Doctor. Let me see what I can do.” <br/>  “I’m sure I can get them working again while Rose has a look in the Cage, she-”<br/>  “No chance.” Eris glared up at him. “She isn’t going in alone. And I’ll probably be able to fix this faster than you could. Go.” <br/>Giving in, Adam opened the door with a keycard, trying to stay in front of Rose as much as possible. <br/>  “Don't get too close.”<br/>The door closed behind them, cutting them off from Eris as she worked at the station outside. Inside the Cage, the lights were low, but bright enough to see the creature properly. It was still chained up. Adam remained by the door as Rose moved ahead of him. <br/>Rose kept her voice low, almost a whisper, not wanting to terrify the creature any more than it already was. “Hello. Are you in pain? My name's Rose Tyler. I've got a friend, he can help. He's called the Doctor. What's your name?”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “I am in pain. They torture me, but still they fear me. Do you fear me?” The thing’s voice was cracking between each metallic rasp. <br/>  “No.”<br/>  “I am dying.”<br/>  “No, we can help.”<br/>  “I welcome death. But I am glad that before I die I have met a human who was not afraid.”<br/>A faint banging from outside the Cage distracted Rose briefly, but she brushed it off. <br/>  “Isn't there anything I can do?”<br/>  “My race is dead, and I shall die alone.”<br/>Feeling for the alien in front of her, Rose reached out to lay a hand on it, acutely aware that the sound of banging from outside had got louder. Her hand settled on the metal for less than a second before pulling it away, an odd stinging sensation prickling through it. Where she’d touched the casing, her handprint seemed to glow golden before fading. As the thing jolted, becoming more animated while Rose backed away, Eris’ voice crackled sharply through a speaker in the corner. <br/>  “Rose, Adam, get the hell out of there! Now!” </p><p>A guard burst through the door, Eris pushing past him to grab Rose and Adam, roughly dragging them from the room. As they made it into the control area they could hear the guard’s screams as the Dalek attacked. More guards were in the next room, armed and ready, and they broke ranks to let the civilians through before reforming the line, closing the Cage door as they did so. A security camera panned down to cover the group, and an audio link had been set up. The Doctor sounded panicked as he begged Van Statten to release him. <br/>  “You've got to keep it in that cell. I’m serious, Van Statten, that thing can’t be allowed to get out.” <br/>Rose was stuttering, blinking rapidly as she tried to stay calm. “Doctor, it's all my fault.”<br/>The guard who’d closed the door rested a comforting hand on her arm. “I've sealed the compartment. It can't get out, that lock's got a billion combinations.”<br/>Keeping her hands on Adam and Rose, Eris started to back out of the room, shaking as her dad’s voice became enraged over the speaker. <br/>  “A Dalek's a genius. It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat.”<br/>The manual keypad began to flash and flicker with combinations as the Dalek began its work on the other side of the door, and they could just about hear the Doctor telling them to run over the gunfire of the soldiers. One of them, a woman whose name badge said ‘De Maggio’ joined Eris in getting the others out. <br/>  “I’ll lead the way. We’ll get you three out alive, ok?”</p><p>***</p><p>Once Van Statten had released the Doctor they ran for his office and were joined by Goddard, along with a few other staff members. A large high definition screen took up a whole wall of the office and they watched, the humans in shock and the Doctor in anger, as the Dalek glided effortlessly up to the computer bank and smashed every screen, absorbing the electricity as it did so. Slowly, the battered casing began to mend itself, melding seamlessly together along the cracks and brightening from a dull bronze-brown to golden. An alarm went off on one of the computers and Goddard moved to check what was causing it. <br/>  “We're losing power. It's draining the base. Oh, my God. It's draining entire power supplies for the whole of Utah.”<br/>  “It's downloading.” The Doctor was unable to take his eyes off the screen. Knowing that the girls were far closer to the Dalek than they were to him made his hearts drop into his stomach. <br/>  “Downloading what?” Before Van Statten could repeat his question, Goddard gasped. <br/>  “Sir, the entire West Coast has gone down.”<br/>  “It's not just energy. That Dalek just absorbed the entire internet. It knows everything.” The Doctor turned Van Statten’s face towards the screen, forcing him to watch as the Dalek’s weapon became functional again and it shot, first destroying what was left of the computer bank, then the security cameras. <br/>  “We've only got emergency power. It's eaten everything else. You've got to kill it now!”<br/>Goddard gave orders to the guards to converge at the Cage, desperately hoping that they’d give the civilians the chance to get out safely. </p><p>Over the radios they heard a guard shout, “Civilians, let them pass!” moments before the firing began, bullets ricocheting off the walls. But one by one, the screams of the guards resounded as the Dalek fired, killing them instantly, their bullets unable to penetrate the force field surrounding it. <br/>  “Tell them to stop shooting at it.” Van Statten tried to reach for the microphone, but Goddard blocked him. <br/>  “It's killing them!”<br/>  “They're dispensable.” Shoving her aside, Van Statten spoke to the guards. “That Dalek is unique. I don't want a scratch on its bodywork, do you hear me? Do you hear me?”<br/>The gunfire stopped and Van Statten briefly looked pleased, before looking at the faces of the others in the room. Grief, pain, heartbreak. He realised why. There was nobody left to shoot. <br/>Pulling up a digital schematic of the bunker, Goddard pointed out the important places and life signs. <br/>  “That's us, right below the surface. That's the cage, and that's the Dalek.”<br/>  “This museum of yours. Have you got any alien weapons?” The Doctor frowned when she pointed to a room that was clearly not going to be reachable. <br/>  “Lots of them, but the trouble is the Dalek's between us and them.”<br/>Van Statten was adamant. “We've got to keep that thing alive. We could just seal the entire vault, trap it down there.”<br/>Shaking his head, the Doctor shut the idea down. “Leaving everyone trapped with it. Eris and Rose are down there. I won't let that happen. Have you got that? It's got to go through this area. What's that?”<br/>  “Weapons testing.”<br/>  “Give guns to the technicians, the engineers, anyone. Everyone. Only then have you got any chance of killing it.”</p><p>***</p><p>On the lower levels, De Maggio had managed to direct them into a stairwell, and the four of them ran up the first flight before stopping, breathless. Adam and Rose laughed out of shock, assuming they were safe. <br/>  “Stairs! That's more like it. It hasn't got legs. It's stuck!”<br/>  “Great big alien death machine defeated by a flight of stairs.”<br/>Eris shook her head, a grim look on her face as the Dalek slid into the room. De Maggio raised her weapon, standing on the step below the civilians. <br/>  “Now listen to me. I demand that you return to your cage. If you want to negotiate then I can guarantee that Mister van Statten will be willing to talk. I accept that we imprisoned you and maybe that was wrong, but people have died, and that stops right now. The killing stops. Have you got that? I demand that you surrender. Is that clear?”<br/>In response, the Dalek uttered three emotionless syllables. <br/>  “Elevate.”<br/>And the Dalek began to rise, hovering a foot or so off the floor and gliding up the stairs with ease. De Maggio cocked her weapon and ordered the others to leave. Eris tried to convince her otherwise. <br/>  “Come with us. You can't stop it.”<br/>  “Someone's got to try. Now get out! Don't look back. Just run!”<br/>So they did, hearing the gunfire cease abruptly behind them as they made it up to the next level. </p><p>***</p><p>Goddard was doing her best not to punch both her boss and the Doctor - they had been arguing non-stop since they’d reached the office and showed no signs of shutting up any time soon. <br/>  “I thought you were a great expert, Doctor. If you're so impressive, then why not just reason with this Dalek? It must be willing to negotiate. There must be something it needs. Everything needs something.”<br/>  “What's the nearest town?”<br/>  “Salt Lake City.”<br/>  “Population?”<br/>  “One million.”<br/>  “All dead. If the Dalek gets out, it'll murder every living creature. That's all it needs.”<br/>  “But why would it do that?”<br/>The Doctor sighed, slamming his hands against the desk. <br/>  “Because it honestly believes they should die. Human beings are different, and anything different is wrong. It's the ultimate in racial cleansing and you, Van Statten, you've let it loose!” Hearing the static fizz of the microphone next to him, he switched it on, opening the communication link between the office and the loading bay, where a large number of guards were stationed to intercept the Dalek. “The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before they even hit home, but it's not indestructible. If you concentrate your fire, you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, the eyepiece. That's the weak spot.”</p><p>Down in the loading bay the group leader scoffed, unimpressed at being given orders by a civilian. “Thank you, Doctor, but I think I know how to fight one single tin robot. Positions!” <br/>His men took cover behind packing cases and boxes, preparing to fire when Rose and Adam ran into view, Eris bringing up the rear as she kept herself between them and the threat. <br/>  “Hold your fire! You three, get the hell out of there!”<br/>They kept running, just about making it through the exit as the Dalek entered. Once they were fully out of sight of the creature, Rose grabbed her friends’ arms, a little panicked. <br/>  “It was looking at me.”<br/>  “Yeah, it wants to slaughter us.” Adam huffed, struggling to see the point of having a conversation when they were trying to escape. <br/>  “I know, but it was looking right at me.”<br/>  “So? It's just a sort of metal eye thing. It's looking all around.”<br/>  “I don't know. It's like there's something inside, looking at me, like, like it knows me.”<br/>Behind them in the loading bay, the firing started and Eris pushed them ahead of her, cajoling them into a run again. <br/>  “Let’s deal with that later, alright?” </p><p>***</p><p>The occupants of the office watched on as the hail of bullets coming from the guards did nothing to stop the Dalek’s progress. It levitated once again, shooting at the fire alarm and activating the network of sprinklers, flooding the floor. Then it fired downwards at the floor, electrocuting all of the guards. The Dalek hovered there, staring at the camera, waiting for their response. <br/>  “Perhaps it's time for a new strategy. Maybe we should consider abandoning this place.” Van Statten murmured, the severity of the situation finally setting in. <br/>  “Except there's no power to the helipad, sir. We can't get out.” <br/>The Doctor frowned, mind racing. “You said we could seal the vault.”<br/>  “It was designed to be a bunker in the event of nuclear war. Steel bulkheads.”<br/>Goddard shook her head. “There's not enough power, those bulkheads are massive.”<br/>  “We've got emergency power. We can re-route that to the bulkhead doors.”<br/>  “We'd have to bypass the security codes. That would take a computer genius.”<br/>Van Statten sat down at his computer. “Good thing you've got me, then.”<br/>The Doctor looked at him. “You want to help?”<br/>  “I don't want to die, Doctor. Simple as that. And nobody knows this software better than me.”</p><p>Through the screen, the Dalek caught their attention once again, glistening under the steady spray of the sprinklers. “I shall speak only to the Doctor.”<br/>The man in question sneered. “You're going to get rusty.”<br/>  “I fed off the DNA of Rose Tyler. Extrapolating the biomass of a time traveller regenerated me.”<br/>  “Tasty. What's your next trick?”<br/>  “I have been searching for the Daleks.” It almost sounded sad, if that was even possible. <br/>  “Yeah, I saw. downloading the internet. What did you find?”<br/>There was a pause, and when the Dalek spoke again there was a note of insanity in its voice. <br/>  “Nothing. Where shall I get my orders now?”<br/>  “You're just a soldier without commands.”<br/>  “Then I shall follow the Primary Order, the Dalek instinct to destroy, to conquer.”<br/>  “What for? What's the point? Don't you see it's all gone? Everything you were, everything you stood for.”<br/>  “Then what should I do?”<br/>Crossing his arms over his chest, the Doctor decided that there was only really one thing he could ever want a Dalek to do. After everything they had done, to him and his people, this was all he could have in return. <br/>  “Kill yourself.”<br/>  “The Daleks must survive!”<br/>  “The Daleks have failed! Why don't you finish the job and make the Daleks extinct. Rid the Universe of your filth. Why don't you just die?” By the end he was screaming, spit flying as he raged. Beside him both Goddard and Van Statten flinched, a little shocked by his venomous animosity. The Dalek was quiet for a minute or so, before grating out six words that made the Doctor feel sick. <br/>  “You would make a good Dalek.”<br/>Then the screen went blank. </p><p>Van Statten’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, unsure as to whether he should begin to shut the doors or not. The Doctor made the decision for him, sitting at the next computer and typing quickly, starting to manipulate the power flow. <br/>  “Seal the Vault.”<br/>Van Statten nodded, an unpleasant smile on his face. “I can leech power off the ground defences, feed it to the bulkheads. God, it's been years since I had to work this fast.”<br/>  “Are you enjoying this?” <br/>Before they could start an argument again, Goddard interrupted, pointing out a cluster of life signs on the schematic. <br/>  “Doctor, they’re still down there.”</p><p>As Adam and the girls burst through the doors at the top of yet another staircase, Rose’s phone rang. She answered, struggling to get her words out past the heaving of her lungs. “This isn't the best time.”<br/>  “Where are you?” The Doctor clearly wasn’t in the mood for small talk. <br/>Eris glanced at the wall, calling out the numbers that were stamped there. “Level forty nine.”<br/>  “You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off up at level forty six.”<br/>Rose frowned. “Can't you stop them closing?”<br/>  “He’s probably the one closing them, we need to keep moving.” In front of Eris, Adam had faltered a little and she shoved him forwards again. “We’ve got another three levels to go, we can’t waste time.” <br/>The Doctor agreed, “I can't wait and I can't help you. Now for God's sake, run.” before hanging up. </p><p>Van Statten punched the enter key. “Done it. We've got power to the bulkheads.”<br/>Goddard gasped, pointing at the layout on the screen. <br/>  “The Dalek's right behind them!” It had gained on them very quickly and was now heading up the last stairwell as they broke into the corridor leading up to the bulkhead. <br/>  “Doctor, I can't sustain the power. The whole system is failing. Doctor, you've got to close the bulkheads.”<br/>He hesitated for a second, whispering a soft apology for what he was about to do, before hitting Enter. </p><p>A klaxon blared and lights flashed as the door began to descend. Adam managed a final burst of speed and ducked under the door when it was half way closed.    <br/>  “Come on!”<br/>Eris and Rose were level, three metres from the door. The door was only eighteen inches from the floor when Eris’ ankle gave way and she sprawled forwards, landing with her head and shoulders under the door itself. Thinking quickly, Adam grabbed her arms and pulled her through to the other side, seconds before the door slammed shut. </p><p>  “The vault is sealed.” Van Statten sighed in relief. <br/>The Doctor wasn’t ready to celebrate just yet, and accessed the cameras in the corridor, pulling up an image of Rose as she huddled close to the door.<br/>  “Rose, where are you? Eris, Rose, did you make it?” </p><p>Rose answered, and he could hear her voice cracking. “Eris got through, but I was a bit slow. Sorry.” She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as the Dalek rounded the corner and swept towards her. “See you, then, Doctor. It wasn't your fault. Remember that, okay? It wasn't your fault. And do you know what? I wouldn't have missed it for the world.”<br/>Then came the Dalek’s cry of<br/>  “Exterminate!” and the cameras cut out. </p><p>The Doctor slumped into a chair. “I killed her.”<br/>  “I'm sorry.” Van Statten moved to settle a hand on the grieving man’s shoulder, but the Doctor pushed him away, his shock dissolving into anger. <br/>  “I said I'd protect her. She was only here because of me, and you're sorry? I could've killed that Dalek in it's cell, but you stopped me.”<br/>  “It was the prize of my collection!”<br/>  “Your collection? But was it worth it? Worth all those men's deaths? Worth Rose? Let me tell you something, Van Statten. Mankind goes into space to explore, to be part of something greater.”<br/>  “Exactly! I wanted to touch the stars!”<br/>  “You just want to drag the stars down and stick them underground, underneath tons of sand and dirt, and label them. You're about as far from the stars as you can get. And you took her down with you. She was nineteen years old.”</p><p>The lift pinged behind them and Adam and Eris appeared, the latter leaning heavily against the former. His frustration with Adam was displaced momentarily by his concern for his daughter and he hurried across to them, guiding her to a chair. <br/>  “What happened?” <br/>Tear tracks were drying against Eris’ cheeks, and fresh tears soon spilled to add to them. <br/>  “I twisted my ankle and fell, ended up halfway under the door. Would’ve been crushed if Adam hadn’t pulled me out. But once I was through, there wasn’t space for Rose to get out too. It’s my fault.” <br/>  “No, it’s not. I was the one closing the door, this is on me. Not you. How’s your ankle doing? Are you ok to walk?”<br/>  “It’s not serious. Ten minutes, and I should be good to go.” <br/>Satisfied, the Doctor stood and approached Adam, glaring. <br/>  “You were quick on your feet, weren’t you?” <br/>The boy protested. “I'm not the one who sealed the vault! And I got one of them out, didn’t I?” <br/>Before the Doctor had the chance to respond, the screen blinked back into life, showing a very alive-looking Rose Tyler, standing with the Dalek’s gun jammed against her back. </p><p>  “Open the bulkhead or Rose Tyler dies.”<br/>  “You're alive!” The Doctor leant forward, getting as close to the screen as possible even though the cameras were only one-way. As Eris moved to join him, he noticed that her limp was already improving. <br/>  “Can't get rid of me.” Rose smiled up at the camera, very happy to hear his voice after such a close call. <br/>Eris struggled to get her words out. “I thought you were dead. Rose I’m so sorry I left you behind, I-” <br/>  “Hey, no harm done. Well, not at the moment anyway. Even if you hadn’t fallen I don’t think we would both have made it anyway.” <br/>The Dalek interrupted. “Open the bulkhead!”<br/>  “Don't do it!”<br/>  “What use are emotions, Doctor, if you will not save the woman you love?<br/>He shook his head, reaching over to press the necessary buttons. <br/>  “I killed her once. I can't do it again.”<br/>The bulkhead opened and Rose walked through, followed closely by the Dalek. Van Statten looked furious. <br/>  “What do we do now, you bleeding heart. What the hell do we-” His question was left unfinished as Eris’ fist collided with his jaw, sending him reeling. <br/>  “This is all on you, Mister van Statten.” She spat. “Haven’t you done enough damage today? Shut your mouth.” <br/>Adam piped up. “Kill it when it gets here.”<br/>Goddard groaned. “All the guns are useless, and the alien weapons are in the vault.”<br/>  “Only the catalogued ones.” <br/>Everyone turned to look at Adam and he blushed. The Doctor and Eris exchanged looks, before agreeing to follow him down to the workshop. </p><p>The Doctor rifled quickly through the piles of junk in the workshop, mumbling to himself as he did so. “Broken. Broken. Hairdryer.”<br/>Adam was explaining to Eris his reasons for keeping some of the weapons back. “Mister Van Statten tends to dispose of his staff, and when he does he wipes their memory. I kept this stuff in case I needed to fight my way out one day.”<br/>  “What, you in a fight? I'd like to see that.” The Doctor scoffed. <br/>  “ I could fight, if I had to.” <br/>  “What're you going to do, throw your A-Levels at them?” He found a fearsome looking weapon at the bottom of one of the baskets and examined it quickly, determining that it was still functional. “Oh, yes. Lock and load.”</p><p>***</p><p>Panic spread through Van Statten’s office like wildfire when the lift door opened to reveal Rose and the Dalek. People made for whatever weapons they could get their hands on before Rose stopped them, holding a hand out. <br/>  “Don't move. Don't do anything. It's beginning to question itself.”<br/>The Dalek approached Van Statten as the man backed away, pressing himself against the wall. <br/>  “Van Statten. You tortured me. Why?”<br/>  “I wanted to help you. I just, I don't know. I was trying to help. I thought if we could get through to you, we could mend you. I wanted you better. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I swear, I just wanted you to talk!”<br/>  “Then hear me talk now. Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!”<br/>Rose put herself between Van Statten and the Dalek, resting a hand on the metal casing again. <br/>  “Don't do it! Don't kill him! You don't have to do this anymore. There must be something else, not just killing. What else is there? What do you want?”<br/>  “I want freedom.”</p><p>Five minutes later, Rose and the Dalek had made it to level one, and the girl watched as the alien blasted a hole in the roof, allowing streamers of sunlight to reach it. The middle segment of the case opened out, exposing the glistening, one-eyed mutant inside. Rose stared, awestruck, but the spell was broken by the sound of the Doctor and Eris sprinting towards her. They stopped about twenty metres away; the Doctor was holding the large gun he’d found,<br/>  “Get out of the way. Rose, get out of the way now!”<br/>  “No. I won't let you do this.”<br/>Eris was calmer than her dad, trying to get their friend to see sense. “That thing killed hundreds of people, Rose. It’s not safe.” <br/>  “It's not the one pointing the gun at me.”<br/>The Doctor was shaking slightly. “I've got to do this. I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I've got nothing left.”<br/>  “It couldn't kill Van Statten, it couldn't kill me. It's changing. What about you, Doctor? What the hell are you changing into?”</p><p>The Dalek croaked. “I am the last of the Daleks.”<br/>  “You're not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating. Becoming something new.”<br/>  “That is… wrong.” <br/>Rose was confused. “Isn't that better?”<br/>  “Not for a Dalek.” Eris held a hand out, encouraging Rose to join them. <br/>  “But I am impure!” The Dalek cried. “My purpose is to exterminate! I must! Exterminate.”<br/>And the Dalek fired, unable to target Rose and aiming for Eris instead. Rose screamed as her friend dropped to the floor, aware of the Doctor shooting at the Dalek and the wave of heat that hit her from behind as it exploded. </p><p>The girl on the floor groaned, a hand pressed to her side as she flinched. <br/>  “I liked this jumper.” <br/>Rose laughed in disbelief. “You’ve just been shot and you’re worried about your jumper?” <br/>  “Hey, I’ve been shot before. That’s more of an annoyance than anything else. But I don’t know if I’ll be able to fix this up.” <br/>Having made the gun unusable, the Doctor threw it to the floor and knelt next to Eris, who was pushing herself up to lean on her elbows. “Let me see.” <br/>Moving her hand, she revealed a bloody, charred patch about the size of her palm. Rose gasped - it looked painful - but neither Eris nor the Doctor looked overly concerned. . <br/>  “It doesn’t look too bad - let’s get to the TARDIS and get something to cover that, just until it heals.” </p><p>Supporting her between them both, they made their way to the TARDIS. Stopping outside, the Doctor patted the side of his ship lovingly. <br/>  “A little piece of home. Better than nothing.”<br/>  “Is that the end of it, the Time War?” Rose readjusted her arm around Eris, careful to keep her hand on the handkerchief that the Doctor had given her. <br/>  “I'm the only one left. I win. How about that?” For such a positive statement, the Doctor’s tone was very morose. <br/>  “The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too.”<br/>  “I'd know. In here.” He tapped the side of his head. “Feels like there's no one.”<br/>Eris grinned, reaching out to hold his hand. “Well then, good thing we’re not going anywhere.”</p><p>The moment was ruined by the arrival of Adam, and Eris quickly adjusted herself to hide the wound on her side. The boy seemed oblivious to the mood of the group in front of him. <br/>  “We'd better get out. Van Statten disappeared, nobody knows where he’s gone. They're closing down the base. Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement, like it never existed.”<br/>  “About time.” Rose sighed. <br/>  “I'll have to go back home.”<br/>  “Better hurry up then.” The Doctor was digging through his pockets for the TARDIS key. “Next flight to Heathrow leaves at fifteen hundred hours.”<br/>Rose frowned and spoke quietly; surely they could give Adam a trip to say thank you. “Adam was saying that all his life he wanted to see the stars.”<br/>  “Tell him to go and stand outside, then.”<br/>  “He's all on his own, Doctor, and he did help.”<br/>  “He left you down there.”<br/>Eris shot him a look. “So did I. Or had you forgotten that bit?” <br/>Adam stepped towards them, a little lost. “What're you talking about? We've got to leave.”<br/>The Doctor still wasn’t convinced. “Plus, he's a bit pretty.”<br/>Rose shrugged casually. “I hadn't noticed.”<br/>Caving, the Doctor unlocked the TARDIS, pointing a finger at Rose as he led Eris inside. <br/>  “On your own head be it.”<br/>As they stepped inside, they could hear Adam in the exhibit room. <br/>  “What're you doing? She said cement. She wasn't joking. We're going to get sealed in. Doctor? What're you doing standing inside a box? Rose?”<br/>He followed them in and stopped dead, astounded. <br/>  “But that - that’s not possible!” <br/>Rose put an arm around him and smiled reassuringly. <br/>  “Come on, it gets easier to take in with a cup of tea.” </p><p>While Rose led Adam to the kitchen, the Doctor programmed the console for dematerialisation and flight. <br/>  “You alright?” <br/>Eris shrugged, checking under the handkerchief to see that her injury was now little more than a red mark. <br/>  “I’m fine. I’ve had worse. Are you alright?” <br/>The Doctor was quiet, leaning heavily against the railing. <br/>  “I will be.” <br/>Walking over to him, Eris nudged him gently. <br/>  “I’ll grab a new jumper, then we can join the others, yeah? Rose is right about the power of a cup of tea.” <br/>He smiled, agreed, and watched as she headed for the wardrobe. He knew his loneliness would never fully fade, but having his daughter and his best friend by his side would make things just a little bit easier to bear.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Long Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For once, the TARDIS’ flight was surprisingly smooth - although perhaps that was because Eris was at the controls. The Doctor was watching her every move, which wasn’t exactly boosting her confidence. Rose and Adam leant against the railings, watching as the girl moved gracefully about the console, keeping the ship stable. She’d been working steadily for the last half an hour or so when she faltered, looking back at her father anxiously. <br/>  “I think I went wrong somewhere.” <br/>He stepped up beside her, glancing at the scanner display briefly. “Looks okay to me. Do you want a hand?” <br/>  “Please.” <br/>With a few swift movements, the Doctor had finished the sequence and landed the TARDIS. <br/>  “You didn’t do too badly. It takes time to learn to fly her.” <br/>Eris snorted. “It’s been, what, a hundred and fifty years? And I’m still no good.” <br/>The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Don’t be dramatic. It took me nearly twice as long to learn and I didn’t exactly pass my test with flying colours.” <br/>Rose couldn’t stop herself from laughing at that. The Doctor turned, looking slightly offended. <br/>  “What’s funny?” <br/>  “Nothing. Come on, let’s show Adam something cool.” <br/>She moved to lead Adam out of the TARDIS but was stopped by Eris, who winked subtly. <br/>  “Come on, Rose. Safety checks first, remember?” <br/>The blonde caught on, nodding, and the Doctor led the girls out of the TARDIS, telling Adam to stay put for the moment. </p><p>  “So, it's two hundred thousand, and it's a spaceship. No, wait a minute, space station, and er, go and try that gate over there.” The Doctor pointed out the gate in question and grinned at Rose, giving her the chance to impress Adam all by herself. <br/>  “Two hundred thousand?”<br/>  “Two hundred thousand.”<br/>  “Right.”<br/>Eris opened the TARDIS door. “Adam? Out you come.”<br/>The boy gasped audibly, eyes wide as he surveyed the large gallery they’d landed in. <br/>  “Oh, my God.”<br/>The Doctor and Eris took up identical positions as they stood next to each other, ready to watch. Rose smirked, channelling some of the Doctor’s usual charisma as she launched into the introduction. “Don't worry, you'll get used to it.”<br/>  “Where are we?”<br/>  “Good question. Let's see. So, er, judging by the architecture, I'd say we're around the year two hundred thousand. If you listen-” She held a finger up, tilting her head a little to make it look more convincing. “engines. We're on some sort of space station. Yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here. They could turn the heating down. Tell you what - let's try that gate. Come on!” <br/>She practically dragged Adam through the gate that had been mentioned earlier, and her friends followed her, grinning. <br/>  “Here we go! And this is... I'll let the Doctor describe it.”<br/>Once again, Rose found herself staring out at the surface of the Earth from above. It was still so beautiful, so incredible, just as she remembered it being from the viewing gallery of Platform One. She shook that memory from her head as the Doctor spoke, hoping that this trip would be far less eventful than that one. <br/>  “The Fourth great and bountiful Human Empire. And there it is, planet Earth at its height. Covered with mega-cities, five moons, population ninety six billion. The hub of a galactic domain stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle.” <br/>A thud drew their attention, and they looked over to see Adam crumpled on the floor. He’d fainted. The Doctor nudged Rose towards him, eyebrows raised. <br/>  “He's your boyfriend.”<br/>She sighed. “Not anymore.”</p><p>Ten minutes later, they had managed to rouse Adam and guide him into a central hub. It was spacious but grimy, bathed in a warm yellow light. The Doctor had slung an arm around the boy’s shoulders and was chattering animatedly. “Come on, Adam. Open your mind. You're going to like this. Fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, art, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners.”<br/>A klaxon sounded and the lights brightened, and people seemed to spill from the very walls of the place. Many of them were converging on a food stall that had opened up in the centre of the hub, jostling into queues that soon ran the whole length of the room. In under a minute, the still quietness of the space had been obliterated, and multitudes of voices overlapped as people shouted. <br/>  “Out of the way!”<br/>  “What was it? Kronkburger with cheese, and kronkburger with pajatos. Do you want a drink?”<br/>  “Oi, stop pushing!” <br/>Rose frowned as she locked eyes with Eris; the girl was looking around them anxiously, hands balled up inside the sleeves of her jumper. <br/>  “Hey, you alright?” <br/>  “Yeah, just a bit overwhelmed.” She managed a shaky smile. “Wasn’t expecting the crowd.” <br/>Smiling reassuringly, Rose took Eris’ hand and squeezed, before turning to the Doctor. He seemed to be a little annoyed. <br/>  “Fine cuisine?”<br/>  “My watch must be wrong.” He tapped at the face of his watch, before taking it off and shaking it.  “No, it's fine. It's weird.”<br/>The blonde shot him a wry smile. “That's what comes of showing off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was.”<br/>  “My history's perfect.”<br/>  “Well, obviously not.”</p><p>Adam tapped the Doctor’s shoulder. “They're all human. What about the millions of planets, the millions of species? Where are they?” <br/>  “Good question. Actually, that is a good question. Adam, me old mate, you must be starving.”<br/>The boy grimaced. “No, I'm just a bit time sick.”<br/>The Doctor pulled him towards the counter of the food stall. “No, you just need a bit of grub. Oi, mate - how much is a kronkburger?”<br/>The chef working at the stall looked mildly disgruntled, and pointed a finger at the long line of people waiting to be served. “Two credits twenty, sweetheart. Now join the queue.”<br/>Eris got her dad’s attention, still holding Rose’s hand, gesturing towards the wall to their left. <br/>  “There’s a cashpoint over there.” <br/>After flashing the sonic screwdriver discreetly at the terminal, the Doctor handed a slim, metallic card to Adam. <br/>  “There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets.”<br/>  “How does it work?” <br/>  “Go and find out. Stop nagging me. The thing is, Adam, time travel - it’s like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers. Or is that just me?” <br/>Eris rolled her eyes. “That’s just you.” <br/>Her dad pulled a face. “Anyway, you three go and have fun for a bit. Try something new.” <br/>  “Dad, how about I come with you? Rose and Adam probably don’t want me hanging around like a third wheel.” <br/>  “What’s so bad about being a third wheel? The Escotels on Escora Nine have three legs, and wheels instead of feet. Without a third wheel, they wouldn’t be able to stay upright! Now go on, I’ll come and find you in a bit.” <br/>Giving in, Eris whispered an apology to Rose, who told her not to worry and headed for the food stall, leaving the others to follow her. </p><p>The Doctor headed in the opposite direction towards two young women, both in smart suits. One was short and pale, the other tall and dark with beautiful braids. <br/>  “Er, this is going to sound daft, but can you tell me where I am?”<br/>Speaking as though she was talking to a small child, the taller woman pointed up to the far wall, where a number was engraved. It must have been at least half the length of the wall itself. <br/>  “Floor One Three Nine. Could they write it any bigger?”<br/>  “Floor 139 of what?”<br/>  “Must've been a hell of a party.”<br/>The shorter woman piped up, smiling kindly. It was a sharp contrast to the disdain on her companion’s face. “You're on Satellite Five.”<br/>  “What's Satellite Five?”<br/>The taller woman snorted, disbelieving. “Come on, how could you get on board without knowing where you are?”<br/>He grinned. “Look at me. I'm stupid.”<br/>  “Hold on, wait a minute. Are you a test? Some sort of management test kind of thing?”<br/>Pulling the psychic paper from his pocket, the Doctor decided to go with it. “You've got me. Well done. You're too clever for me.”<br/>  “Well, it’s very nice to meet you. I’m Suki,” the short woman held out her hand for him to shake “and this is Cathica.” <br/>Cathica’s posture had changed the moment that management had been mentioned, and she shook the Doctor’s hand eagerly. <br/>  “Right, fire away, ask your questions. If it gets me to Floor five hundred I'll do anything.”<br/>He frowned. “Why, what happens on Floor five hundred?”<br/>  “The walls are made of gold. And you should know, Mister Management. So, this is what we do.” She directed him to a collection of screens on the wall. Looking briefly around the hub, the Doctor could see multiple screen banks dotted all over the place. “Latest news, sandstorms on the new Venus archipelago. Two hundred dead. Glasgow water riots into their third day. Space lane seventy seven closed by sunspot activity. And over on the Bad Wolf channel, the Face of Boe has just announced he's pregnant.”<br/>  “I get it. You broadcast the news.”<br/>  “We are the news. We're the journalists. We write it, package it and sell it. Six hundred channels.”</p><p>Over in the seating area by the food stalls, Adam had managed to find a table that was empty and clean enough for the three of them to sit at. After listening to the other customers ordering, Rose managed to get enough food for them to share without making a fool of herself at the counter, and came back to the table, handing the credit card back to Adam . The food tasted odd, but not bad. Eris was enjoying her drink, and offered some to the others. <br/>  “Try this. It's called Zaffic, it's nice.” <br/>Rose took a sip. “It's like a Slush Puppy!” <br/>Adam looked slightly apprehensive. “What flavour?”<br/>  “Sort of... beef?”<br/>Adam groaned and rested his head in his hands and the girls laughed, Eris grabbing her drink again before Rose finished it all. <br/>  “Oh, my God. It's like everything's gone, home, family, everything.”<br/>Rose offered him her phone. “This helps. The Doctor gave it a bit of a top-up. Who's back home, your mum and dad?”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>  “Phone them up.”<br/>  “But that's one hundred and ninety eight thousand years ago!”<br/>  “Honestly, try it. Go on.”<br/>  “Is there a code for planet Earth?”<br/>Eris shook her head. “Just dial.”<br/>He did so, and the girls smiled at the look of awe on his face as the call went through. <br/>  “Hi. It's me. I've sort of gone travelling. I met these people and we've gone travelling together. But, er, I'm fine, and I'll call you later. Love you. Bye.” <br/>As he hung up, another klaxon blared and everyone around them grabbed their belongings, hurrying away as the vendors closed the food stalls. The Doctor shouted for them, only just audible over the noise. <br/>  “Oi! Huey, Dewey and Louie! Over here!”<br/>They made their way towards him through the stragglers still leaving the area, neither of the girls noticing Adam pocketing Rose’s phone. <br/>  “Come on. This should be interesting.”</p><p> </p><p>He led them through a door into a white-walled room, the majority of which was taken up by a large octagonal desk that surrounded a central chair. Seven of the seats around the desk were filled. The chair was wired up to the desk and the ceiling at several points. Cathica was standing next to the chair, an authoritative air to her as she explained what was happening, nodding politely at the Doctor as she did so. <br/>  “Now, everybody needs to behave. We have a management inspection. How do you want it, by the book?”<br/>  “Right from scratch, thanks.” The Doctor stood between Rose and Eris, leaning against the rail that separated them from the people at the desk. <br/>  “Okay. So, ladies, gentlemen, multi-sex, undecided or robot,- my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni. That's Cathica with a C, in case you want to write to Floor five hundred praising me, and please do. Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest, and beyond bias. That's company policy.”<br/>From the space directly opposite the chair, Suki piped up. “Actually, it's the law.”<br/>Cathica’s voice became icy. “Yes, thank you, Suki. Okay, keep it calm. Don't show off for the guests. Here we go.” She settled into the chair and closed her eyes. “And engage the safety.”</p><p>The people at the desk rested their hands on a set of sculpted palm prints on the table in front of them, causing the walls to glow with a soft white light. Cathica clicked her fingers once and her forehead opened like a camera lens, exposing a circle of her brain through her skull. <br/>  “And three, two, and spike.”<br/>From a tube on the ceiling above the chair, a beam of bright light reached out and shone into the open part of her forehead. Adam looked sickened by the sight as Eris and Rose held a whispered conversation with the Doctor. <br/>  “Compressed information, streaming into her. Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer.”<br/>Rose raised her eyebrows. “If it all goes through her, she must be a genius.”<br/>Eris frowned. “Surely she wouldn’t be able to remember everything?” <br/>  “Nah, she wouldn't remember any of it. There's too much. Her head would blow up. The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets.”<br/>  “So, what about all these people round the edge?” Rose was only half listening to the answer to her question, having noticed Adam’s obvious discomfort. <br/>  “They've all got tiny little chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit six hundred channels. Every single fact in the Empire beams out of this place. Now that's what I call power.”</p><p>Rose rested a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “You all right?”<br/>  “I can see her brain.”<br/>  “Do you want to get out?”<br/>  “No. No, this technology, it's amazing.”<br/>The Doctor crossed his arms. “This technology's wrong.”<br/>  “Trouble?”<br/>  “Oh, yeah.”<br/>As if on cue, Suki jerked her hands sharply away from the plates, causing the information beam to stutter and shut down. The others did the same, rubbing their hands together and shooting nasty looks at the girl. Cathica’s forehead closed and she sat up, looking a little groggy. <br/>  “Come off it, Suki. I wasn't even halfway. What was that for?”<br/>  “Sorry. It must've been a glitch.”<br/>  “Oh.”<br/>Before the Doctor could ask any questions, a voice came over the tannoy and one of the walls lit up, displaying a word. “Promotion.” Cathica - seemingly recovered from the abrupt halt - jumped to her feet, crossing her fingers and trying to coax the response she wanted from the computer. <br/>  “Come on. This is it. Come on. Oh God, make it me. Come on, say my name, say my name, say my name.”<br/>  “Promotion for Suki Macrae Cantrell. Please proceed to Floor five hundred.”<br/>The girl in question gasped, eyes wide. “I don't believe it. Floor five hundred.”<br/>  “How the hell did you manage that? I'm above you.”<br/>  “I don't know. I just applied on the off chance and they've said yes.”<br/>  “That's so not fair. I've been applying to Floor five hundred for three years.” Cathica sounded like a petulant child. <br/>Rose turned to the Doctor, who looked a little concerned. “What's Floor five hundred?”<br/>  “The walls are made of gold.”</p><p>Once Suki had gathered her belongings, she met Cathica and the time travellers by the lifts. She moved to hug her friend, deciding to ignore the way she tensed up before moving on to hug the Doctor. <br/>  “Cathica, I'm going to miss you. Floor five hundred, thank you.”<br/>  “I didn't do anything.” The Doctor smiled. <br/>  “Well, you're my lucky charm.”<br/>  “All right. I'll hug anyone.” <br/>Rose watched Eris and the Doctor chatting with Suki, before nudging Adam. <br/>  “Come on, it's not that bad.”<br/>  “What, with the head thing?”<br/>  “Yeah, well, she's closed it now!”<br/>  “Yeah, but. It's everything. It freaks me out. And I just need to. If I could just cool down. Sort of acclimatise.”<br/>  “How do you mean?”<br/>  “Maybe I could just go and sit on the observation deck. Would that be all right? Soak it in, you know. Pretend I'm a citizen of the year two hundred thousand.”<br/>Eris kissed her dad on the cheek and walked over to link arms with Adam. <br/>  “I’ll come with you.” <br/>  “You don’t have to do that, really.” <br/>  “It’s no bother. Besides, I want to try and sketch the view from the observation deck.” <br/>Conceding, Adam agreed to let her come with him, irritated that she’d be getting in the way of his plans but knowing that he’d only draw suspicion to himself if he tried to argue. <br/>Rose pulled the silver chain from her pocket and held it out to him. “Here you go. Take the Tardis key. You know, just in case it gets a bit too much.”<br/>He snorted. “Yeah, like it's not weird in there.”</p><p>As Eris and Adam left, and Rose joined the conversation with Cathica and the Doctor, Suki checked a time display on the wall and gasped. <br/>  “Oh, my God, I've got to go. I can't keep them waiting. I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me. Bye!”<br/>She stepped into the lift and typed in a code, waving to them as the door closed. <br/>Cathica huffed. “Good riddance.”<br/>  “You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs.” Rose commented. <br/>  “We won't. Once you go to Floor five hundred you never come back.”<br/>Cathica started to walk away through the seating area of the cafeteria but the Doctor and Rose caught up with her, the Doctor asking a question as he did so. <br/>  “Have you ever been up there?”<br/>  “I can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion. No one gets to five hundred except for the chosen few.” </p><p>On the observation deck, Adam was watching Eris through narrowed eyes, wanting nothing more than for her to leave. She’d taken a piece of paper - from her boots, of all places - and a pencil from a pocket and was crouched by the large window, leaning up against it to draw the sight before them. He had to admit it was very impressive, but there were other things occupying his mind that seemed far more important. From where he stood he could see the concentration creasing her face, her eyes flickering rapidly between her paper and the planet itself. The picture grew rapidly, becoming more detailed with every second that the pencil moved. No matter how much her presence was annoying him, he had to admit she was pretty talented. </p><p>Standing quickly, Eris stumbled slightly as the muscles in her legs spasmed a little, cramping. It would probably have been better to sit on the floor. She smiled at Adam, showing him the intricate pencil work of her art. <br/>  “What do you think?” <br/>  “It’s brilliant. You’re a good artist.” <br/>She rolled her eyes. “I wish. I can draw, and work with shade, but colours are beyond me. That’s real talent. Thank you, though” <br/>They lapsed into an awkward silence for a moment, before Eris tugged at the neck of her jumper and frowned. <br/>  “I’m putting my jumper back in the TARDIS, it’s way too warm in here to keep it on. Do you want to come with me, or-” <br/>Seizing the opportunity to carry out his plan, Adam cut her off. <br/>  “No! I, er, no, I’m okay staying here. See you in a bit.” <br/>Shrugging, Eris left Adam in the gallery. The moment she was out of sight, Adam approached a computer in the centre of the room and rested his hand on the palm print, shaking slightly. Would this even work? <br/>  “Give me access.”<br/>The screen lit up, and he grinned. “Let's try computers. From the twenty-first century to the present date, give me the history of the microprocessor.” Data scrolled across the screen at speed, and he struggled to keep up with reading it all. <br/>  “Oh my God.”<br/>Pulling Rose’s phone from his pocket, Adam called his home number again. <br/>  “Mum, Dad, keep this message, okay? Whatever you do, don't erase it. Save it. You got that?<br/>Right. The microprocessor became redundant in the year two thousand nineteen and was replaced by a system called SMT. That's Single Molecule Transcription-” <br/>Without warning the data flow stopped and a flashing message appeared. <br/>  “Please go to Floor 16”<br/>Adam groaned, hanging up. “No, no, no, no, no! What're you doing? Come back! Why are you doing that? What's Floor sixteen? What's down there?”</p><p>***</p><p>In the broadcasting room, the Doctor was fiddling with some of the wires attached to the chair while Rose watched, trying to figure out what he was up to. Cathica kept looking over her shoulder at the door, worried that someone would find them in there. <br/>  “Look, they only give us twenty minutes for maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?”<br/>  “But you've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?” The Doctor flopped into the broadcasting chair and shuffled about, trying to get comfortable. <br/>  “I went to floor sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical. That's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all.” Realisation dawned on Cathica, and she stood opposite him, pointing an accusatory finger. “You're not management, are you?” <br/>  “At last. She's clever.”<br/>  “Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything.”<br/>  “Don't you even ask?”<br/>  “Well, why would I?”<br/>Rose frowned. “You're a journalist, that’s what you’re meant to do.” <br/>The Doctor twisted to high five Rose. “My friend makes an excellent point. And here’s an excellent question - why's all the crew human?”<br/>  “What's that got to do with anything?” Cathica asked. <br/>  “There's no aliens on board. Why?”<br/>  “I don't know. No real reason. They're not banned or anything. I suppose immigration's tightened up. It had to, what with all the threats.”<br/>  “What threats?”<br/>Cathica shrugged dismissively. “I don't know all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away. Oh, and the government on Chavic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see. Just lots of little reasons, that's all.”<br/>  “Adding up to one great big fact, and you didn't even notice.”<br/>  “Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything.”<br/>  “I can see better. This society's the wrong shape, even the technology.”<br/>Rose snorted. “Come on, it's got to be cutting edge.”<br/>  “It's backwards. There's a great big door in your head. You should've chucked this out years ago.”<br/>  “So, what do you think's going on?”<br/>The Doctor stood, deep in thought. “It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The great and bountiful Human Empire is stunted. Something's holding it back.”<br/>Cathica huffed derisively. “And how would you know?”<br/>  “Trust me, humanity's been set back about ninety years. When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?”<br/>The woman crossed her arms. “Ninety one years ago.”</p><p>***</p><p>Adam had left the observation deck before Eris returned, wanting to find out what was going on down on floor sixteen. He stepped out of the lift into a clinical-looking room, filled with desks. All but one were occupied by two people, one in an outfit that resembled Earth scrubs and the other wearing everyday clothing. A medical office perhaps? Walking over to the last available table, he stood behind the chair to ask his question. <br/>  “Sorry, er, floor sixteen, that's, er. What do you cover?”<br/>The nurse was completely expressionless. “Medical non-emergency.”<br/>  “Right. Yeah, wrong floor. I'm having technical difficulties. My screen keeps freezing, blocking me out.”<br/>  “No, that's medical. There must be something wrong with your chip.”<br/>  “Yes. Yeah, of course, yeah. I haven't got one.”<br/>She tutted. “No wonder you can't get a screen to work. What are you, a student?”<br/>  “Yes. Yeah, I'm er, I'm on a research project from the University of Mars.”<br/>  “The Martian boondocks. Typical.”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>  “Well, you still need chipping.”<br/>Adam panicked a little - he didn’t like the sound of that. “So, does that mean like brain surgery?”<br/>  “That's an old fashioned phrase, but it's the same thing, yes.”<br/>  “Oh. Okay, never mind. But if I get a chip that means I could use any computer.”<br/>  “Absolutely. You'll have to pay for it. They've stopped subsidising.”<br/>  “Oh! Right. Sorry. Wasting your time. Thanks.” He walked a few paces before remembering the card in his pocket and turned back, holding it out for the nurse to inspect. “Hold on. Can I use this?” <br/>A slight smile appeared. “That'll do nicely.”</p><p>Leading him through to a small operating room, the nurse set a circular device above Adam’s head and explained the chip options. <br/>  “It all comes down to two basic types. Type one, the head chip inserted into the back of the skull, one hundred credits.” She held a finger out, and Adam could just about see a glint of circuitry in the light. It was miniscule. “There's the chip. Tiny. Invisible. No scarring. Type two is the full info-spike.”<br/>  “Oh, that's the head thing!” Adam twirled his finger in a circular motion in front of his own forehead, hoping that she’d understand what he meant. <br/>  “That's the one. It does cost ten thousand.”<br/>  “Oh, well, I, er, I couldn't afford it then.”<br/>  “Not at all. It turns out you've got unlimited credit.”<br/>  “No, but I couldn't have it done, I mean, that's got to hurt, hasn't it?”<br/>The nurse shrugged. “Painless. Contractual guarantee.”<br/>Adam desperately wanted one done, but couldn’t help thinking about Eris. Had she come back to the gallery yet? Was she already looking for him? “No, my mates are waiting upstairs, I can't have major surgery.”<br/>  “It takes ten minutes. That sort of money buys a very fast picosurgeon.”<br/>  “No, but I... I couldn't. It’s-”<br/>The nurse cut him off, clearly sensing that he was scraping the bottom of the barrel for excuses not to go ahead with the procedure. “Type one, you can interface with a simple computer. Type two, you are the computer. You can transmit any piece of information from the archive of Satellite Five, which is just about the entire history of the human race. Now, which one's it going to be?”</p><p>***<br/>On floor 139, the Doctor was using the sonic screwdriver to loosen a wall panel so he could gain access to the wiring and maintenance data. Cathica was almost hysterical, begging him to stop. <br/>  “We are so going to get in trouble. You're not allowed to touch the mainframe! You're going to get us all punished!”<br/>The Doctor was unperturbed. “Rose, tell her to button it.”<br/>  “You can't just vandalise the place. Someone's going to notice!”<br/>He managed to prise the panel away and started pulling at a tangled mess of wiring surrounding a monitor, grinning as sparks flew and there was a faint sizzling noise. <br/>  “This is nothing to do with me. I'm going back to work.” Cathica looked torn, like she was deciding whether or not to actually leave them to it. <br/>  “Go on, then. See you!”<br/>  “I can't just leave you, can I!”<br/>Rose groaned, wiping a sheen of sweat from her forehead with her sleeve. “If you want to be useful, get them to turn the heating down. It's boiling. What's wrong with this place? Can't they do something about it?”<br/>  “I don't know. We keep asking. Something to do with the turbine.”<br/>The Doctor mimicked her as the wires sputtered again. “Something to do with the turbine.”<br/>  “Well, I don't know!”<br/>  “Exactly. I give up on you, Cathica. Now, Rose. Look at Rose. Rose is asking the right kind of question. Why is it so hot?”<br/>  “One minutes you're worried about the Empire and the next it's the central heating!”<br/>  “Well, never underestimate plumbing. Plumbing's very important.”</p><p>The argument was interrupted by a soft chirruping from the sonic screwdriver, and the Doctor directed it at the monitor. There was a crackle, before Eris’ voice came through the speakers, a little tinny due to the equipment quality. <br/>  “Dad, I’m calling from the TARDIS. I’ve lost Adam.” <br/>  “How did you lose him?” He sounded incredulous. <br/>  “I went back home to ditch my jumper and by the time I got back to the observation deck, he was gone. Where are you?” <br/>  “Still on 139. Don’t go and look for him on your own, there’s no point in both of you getting lost. Come and meet us, and we’ll find him together.” <br/>  “Gotcha. See you soon.” And with a static burst, the call ended. <br/>Cathica looked bewildered. “How did you do that?” </p><p>The Doctor flashed the screen with the sonic again, and pulled up a schematic display. <br/>  “Doesn’t matter. Here we go. Satellite Five, pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout.”<br/>  “This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core. You can look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange and you're looking at pipes?”<br/>  “But there's something wrong.”<br/>Rose squinted at the display, not sure what she was meant to be looking at. <br/>  “Why, what is it?”<br/>Cathica realised what she was looking at. “The ventilation system. Cooling ducts, ice filters, all working flat out channelling massive amounts of heat down from the top.”<br/>  “Floor five hundred.”<br/>The Doctor jabbed a finger at the top of the display. “Something up there is generating tons and tons of heat.”<br/>  “Well, I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm missing out on a party. It's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?” Eris grinned as she elbowed her way between her dad and Cathica. <br/>Cathica shook her head. “You can't. You need a key.”<br/>  “Keys are just codes, and I've got the codes right here. Here we go. Override two one five point nine.” As the Doctor spoke he pressed a few buttons on a keypad next to the monitor and a number appeared. <br/>  ‘215.9976/31’<br/>  “How come it's given you the code?”<br/>  “Someone up there likes me.”<br/>Eris jabbed the call button for the lift before leaning against the wall to adjust something inside her shoe. None of the others noticed this as they waited for the lift to arrive, Rose trying to persuade Cathica to come with them. <br/>  “Come on. Come with us.”<br/>  “No way. Don't mention my name up there. When you get in trouble, just don't involve me.”<br/>Shaking Cathica’s hand as the lift doors opened, Eris tugged Rose into the lift with her as her dad typed the key into the computer, directing them to floor 500. The doors closed, and Cathica unfolded the slip of paper the girl had pressed into her hand. Four words were written on it in soft, looping script. <br/>  ‘Trust yourself. Just think.’ </p><p>In the lift, the Doctor turned to the girls, smirking slightly at Eris as she bounced on the balls of her feet while she watched the floor numbers increase. <br/>  “That's her gone. Adam's given up. Looks like it's just us.”<br/>  “Nothing wrong with that.” Rose grinned. <br/>  “Good.”</p><p>***</p><p>Adam blinked, a bit dazed after the procedure. The nurse from before was in the room, pulling a mirror over so he could see the results. <br/>  “I told you it was painless. No scarring, you see? Perfect success.”<br/>  “How do I activate it?”<br/>  “It's a personal choice. Some people whistle. I know one man who triggers it with O, Danny Boy. But you're set on default for now. That's a click of the fingers.”<br/>  “So you mean, I just-” He snapped his fingers. <br/>In the mirror, he could see his forehead open just like Cathica’s had earlier, revealing the pinkish-grey brain beneath his skull. He was faintly aware of his breathing becoming more erratic, and a wave of nausea surged up his throat. <br/>  “Oh, my God. I'm going to be sick.”<br/>He retched, but all he felt was an odd coldness in his mouth. Spitting into his hand, he saw a small, pale ice cube. He looked up at the nurse, not understanding. <br/>  “Special offer. We installed the vomitomatic at the same time. Nano-termites have been placed in the lining of your throat. In the event of sickness, they freeze the waste.”<br/>He nodded, his mind already overflowing with excitement at the fact he could now access so much knowledge. He knew exactly what he was going to do next. </p><p>***</p><p>The lift arrived at floor 500 and the Doctor stepped out first, immediately turning to block the girls as they saw the truth - the area was derelict, dark and thick with ice. It seemed completely deserted. <br/>  “The walls are not made of gold. You should go back downstairs.”<br/>  “Tough.” Their responses were simultaneous as they pushed past him, leaving him no choice but to follow them. They didn’t get very far before they were confronted by a short, pale man with faintly blue lips. He introduced himself as the Editor and led them through to a large monitoring room, where several pale people were working at desks. <br/>  “I started without you. This is fascinating. Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements, but you three, you don't exist. Not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest breath. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?”<br/>Rose was distracted by a familiar face and ran to the desk where Suki was sitting motionless, with her hands on the plates. “Suki. Suki! Hello? Can you hear me? Suki? What have you done to her?”<br/>Eris spoke quietly, a comforting hand on Rose’s arm. “I think she's dead.”<br/>  “But she's working!” <br/>The Doctor sighed. “They've all got chips in their head, and the chips keep going, like puppets.”</p><p>The Editor rubbed his hands together. “Oh! You're full of information. But it's only fair we get some information back, because apparently, you're no one. It's so rare not to know something. Who are you?”<br/>  “It doesn't matter, because we're off. Nice to meet you. Come on.” <br/>They tried to walk away, but Suki had grabbed Rose’s arm and held her in place. Another three people appeared, just as dead-looking and pale as the others at the desks, and restrained Eris and the Doctor as they struggled.<br/>  “Tell me who you are.”<br/>  “Since that information is keeping us alive, I'm hardly going to say, am I?” The Doctor sneered. <br/>  “Well, perhaps my Editor in Chief can convince you otherwise.”<br/>  “And who's that?”<br/>  “It may interest you to know that this is not the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live.” The Editor was suddenly interrupted by a loud, low snarl from above. “Yeah. Yeah, sorry. It's a place where humans are allowed to live by kind permission of my client.” He pointed upwards and the three hostages looked up to see an enormous, glutinous creature hanging from the ceiling. It’s only discernible feature was a mouth at the apex of the thing, filled with sharp, hooklike teeth, <br/>Rose gasped. “What is that?”<br/>The stench coming from the thing was hideous, and Eris gagged. “You mean that thing's in charge of Satellite Five?”</p><p>The Editor sounded offended. “That thing, as you put it, is in charge of the human race. For almost a hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided, his knowledge and ambition strictly controlled by it's broadcast news, edited by my superior, your master, and humanity's guiding light, the mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe. I call him Max.” <br/>While he was making the grand introduction, the people who’d held onto the Doctor and Eris had fetched three sets of heavy duty manacles and chained them up, hauling Rose next to them so they stood together. The Editor was still monologuing, casual and cheerful as they struggled against the cuffs. “Create a climate of fear and it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilise an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote.”<br/>  “So all the people on Earth are like slaves.” Rose sounded disgusted. <br/>  “Well, now, there's an interesting point. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?”<br/>  “Yes.” The Doctor spat. <br/>  “Oh. I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get? Yes?”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “You're no fun.”<br/>  “Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much fun I am.”<br/>  “Oh, he's tough, isn't he. But, come on. Isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit.”<br/>Eris pulled against the restraints, leaning towards the Editor. “You can't hide something on this scale. Somebody must have noticed.”<br/>  “From time to time, someone, yes, but the computer chip system allows me to see inside their brains. I can see the smallest doubt and crush it. Then they just carry on, living their life, strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're so individual, when of course, they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing.”<br/>Behind the Editor’s head, the three of them could see Cathica on a screen, looking anxious but determined. They kept him talking, trying to give Cathica the chance to do whatever she had planned. </p><p>Rose made the easiest observation possible - any sort of conversation would keep the Editor distracted enough for now. “What about you? You're not a Jagrabelly-”<br/>  “Jagrafess.” The Doctor prompted her. <br/>  “Jagrafess. You're not a Jagrafess. You're human.”<br/>  “Yeah, well, simply being human doesn't pay very well.”<br/>  “But you couldn't have done this all on your own.”<br/>  “No. I represent a consortium of banks. Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to install himself.”<br/>Eris hummed in agreement. “No wonder, a creature that size. What's his life span?”<br/>  “Three thousand years.”<br/>The Doctor nodded, figuring out the heating issue downstairs. <br/>  “That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, it stays alive. Satellite Five is one great big life support system.”<br/>The Editor shrugged. <br/>  “But that's why you're so dangerous. Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown. Who are you?”<br/>He snapped his fingers and energy surged through the metal manacles, leaving them spasming and breathless. <br/>  “Leave them alone.” The Doctor choked out. “I'm the Doctor, that’s Eris and that’s Rose Tyler. We're nothing, we're just wandering.”<br/>  “Tell me who you are!”<br/>  “I just said!”<br/>  “Yes, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? Who exactly-” Once again, the Jagrafess interrupted the Editor with a harsh growl, and the Editor grinned smarmily. <br/>  “Time Lord.”<br/>  “What?” The Doctor’s eyes were wide. <br/>  “Oh, yes. The last of the Time Lords in his travelling machine. Oh, with his little human girls from so long ago.”<br/>Eris tried to defend them, but Rose could hear her voice shaking.<br/>  “You don't know what you're talking about.”<br/>  “Time travel.”</p><p>There was a pause as the trio tried to come up with an alternate explanation. <br/>  “Someone's been telling you lies.” The Doctor knew it wasn’t convincing enough, even before the Editor laughed. <br/>  “Someone like young master Adam Mitchell?”<br/>He enlarged an image from one of the many side screens and displayed it on the main monitor, showing Adam laying in one of the chairs, forehead wide open, struggling under the influx of information from the beam he’d activated. Rose was horrified. <br/>  “Oh, my God. His head!”<br/>  “What the hell has he done? They're reading his mind. He's telling them everything!” The Doctor sounded frantic, pulling even harder at the manacles. <br/>The Editor was smug, enjoying the Time Lord’s suffering. “And through him, I know everything about you. Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your… ah yes, TARDIS.”<br/>Both Eris and the Doctor squirmed where they stood, praying that the Editor wouldn’t get his cronies to search them for the key. <br/>  “Well, you'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first.”<br/>  “Die all you like. I don't need you. I've got the key!”<br/>As they watched Rose’s TARDIS key rise from Adam’s pocket as though it had been grasped by an invisible hand, the Doctor jerked his head at Rose angrily. <br/>  “You and your boyfriends!”<br/>  “Today, we are the headlines. We can rewrite history. We could prevent mankind from ever developing.”<br/>  “And no one's going to stop you because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughter house if they're told it's made of gold.”</p><p>Above, the Jagrafess snarled as an alarm chimed, individual alerts pinging from the screens at which the poor promoted people sat.<br/>  “What's happening?” The Editor ran to a screen, then pulled up security camera footage of Cathica in one of the ancient floor 500 broadcasting chairs, activating the infospike. “Someone's disengaged the safety. Who's that?”<br/>  “It's Cathica!” Rose grinned.<br/>Eris looked relieved. “And she's thinking. She's using what she knows.”<br/>  “Terminate her access.” The Editor hissed, grabbing Suki’s shoulder. <br/>  “Everything I told her about Satellite Five. The pipes, the filters, she's reversing it. Look at that.” The Doctor directed the girls’ attention towards the icicles that were already melting, dripping and creating large puddles. “It's getting hot.”<br/>  “I said terminate her. Burn out her mind.” </p><p>Simultaneously, the computer monitors exploded and the operators slumped forwards, completely inactive now that the connection between the computers and their chips had been destroyed. Alarms were clearly sounding through the rest of Satellite Five, and presumably there was mass panic going on downstairs. The floor shook and one side of Rose’s manacles released, allowing her to break free of them completely and turn to help the others. The Doctor laughed. “She's venting the heat up here. The Jagrafess needs to stay cool and now it's sitting on top of a volcano.”<br/>The Editor pushed Suki’s body to the floor and tried to reverse the damage Cathica was causing himself, not noticing Rose retrieving the sonic screwdriver from the Doctor’s pocket and freeing her friends until the Doctor called out to him. <br/>  “Oi, mate, want to bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body, massive bang. See you in the headlines!”<br/>And they ran, stopping in the broadcasting room and rescuing Cathica, helping her to the lift as the Jagrafess exploded. </p><p>On Floor 139, there were some people with injuries but most looked relatively unharmed, if a little shaky. Adam was waiting away from Cathica and the others, shooting nervous looks at the Doctor from the corner of his eye. <br/>  “We're just going to go. I hate tidying up. Too many questions. You'll manage.” The Doctor shot a look of his own at Adam and took great pleasure from the boy’s small flinch. <br/>Cathica covered her face with her hands, exhausted. <br/>  “You'll have to stay and explain it. No one's going to believe me.”<br/>  “Oh, they might start believing a lot of things now. The human race should accelerate. All back to normal.”<br/>  “What about your friend?”<br/>The Doctor’s expression became stony. “He's not my friend.”<br/>Rose rested a hand on his arm as Adam walked towards them. “Now, don't”<br/>Adam spoke with forced joviality, and it was painfully obvious. “I'm all right now. Much better. And I've got the key. Look, it's. It all worked out for the best, didn't it? You know, it's not actually my fault, because you were in charge.” </p><p>The Doctor gripped Adam’s arm tightly and pushed him the whole way towards the TARDIS. Even once they were on board, the tension between them was palpable, and the girls stood together by the rail, hoping to stay out of any arguments that might come up. Landing the TARDIS, the Doctor shoved Adam towards the doors and the girls followed, hoping he wasn’t about to do anything too rash. </p><p>  “It's my house. I'm home! Oh, my God, I'm home! Blimey. I thought you were going to chuck me out of an airlock.” The boy laughed nervously, and tried to get a response from Rose, but Eris spoke up. <br/>  “I think you’re quite lucky he didn’t.”<br/>  “Is there something else you want to tell me?” The Doctor glared. <br/>  “No. What do you mean?”<br/>The Doctor picked up the phone’s answering machine, waving it under Adam’s nose. <br/>  “The archive of Satellite Five. One second of that message could've changed the world.”<br/>He put it back down and directed the sonic at it, causing it to explode in a cloud of pungent smoke and sparks. <br/>  “That's it, then. See you.”<br/>  “How do you mean, see you?”<br/>  “As in goodbye.”<br/>Adam stuttered. “But what about me? You can't just go. I've got my head. I've got a chip type two. My head opens.”<br/>  “What, like this?” The Doctor clicked, opening Adam’s head. <br/>  “Don't.” He closed it. <br/>Eris’ wicked grin didn’t match the innocence in her tone. “Don't do what?” And she clicked too, giggling as his forehead whirred a little and revealed the brain beneath. <br/>  “Stop it!” He closed it again. <br/>  “Come on, you two. Grow up and leave him alone.” Rose smiled at Adam.<br/>  “Thank you.”<br/>Click. <br/>  “Oi!”<br/>  “Sorry, I couldn't resist.”<br/>Having had his fun, the Doctor became serious again. “The whole of history could have changed because of you.”<br/>  “I just wanted to help.”<br/>  “You were helping yourself.”<br/>  “And I'm sorry. I've said I'm sorry, and I am, I really am, but you can't just leave me like this.”<br/>  “Yes I can. 'Cause if you show that head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble. Be average, unseen. Good luck.”<br/>Adam sounded very small. “But I want to come with you.”<br/>  “I only take the best. I've got Eris and Rose.”</p><p>The sound of the front door opening ended the conversation, and a woman called out from the hallway. “Who's that? Jeff, is that you?”<br/>Adam shouted back, his voice shaking. “It's me, mum. Don't come in. Wait there a minute.” He watched despairingly as the girls and the Doctor stepped back into the TARDIS, closed the doors, and dematerialised. </p><p>  “This is for you.” <br/>Rose looked up, momentarily startled as Eris held out a piece of paper. It was the drawing of the Earth she’d done earlier, and it was incredible. <br/>  “It’s stunning, but why give it to me? Don’t you want to keep it?” <br/>  “Nah. I drew it for you in the first place. It’s always good to have a reminder of home with you.” <br/>Touched by the sentiment, Rose pulled Eris into a hug before a thought occurred to her. <br/>  “What do you have? All the places you’ve lived and seen, what have you got to remind you of them?” <br/>Eris smiled softly, stroking the coral buttress next to them with a loving hand. <br/>  “I’ve lived in so many places, but this is my real home. I’ve got everything I need.” <br/>Rose reached out and squeezed her hand. <br/>  “Fancy a cuppa?” <br/>Eris laughed. “Go on then. But you’re making it.” <br/>  “Deal.” <br/>The Doctor smiled as the girls made their way to the kitchen, glad that Eris really felt like she was at home on board. It was one thing for her to say it to him, but hearing her say it to someone else somehow made it even more meaningful. He knew she’d always had a hard time keeping friends, what with the fact that she was constantly outliving them. But he had a good feeling about her friendship with Rose - he just knew there was something special there.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Father's Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Picking at the sleeves of her hoodie, Rose was working up the courage to make her request. The idea had popped into her head the night before and she didn’t see any harm in asking - she was just afraid that the Doctor would say no. They were in the TARDIS kitchen drinking tea, but Rose had barely touched hers. Eris was on her third cup as she and the Doctor discussed places they wanted to visit next. They’d been bickering over whether to go to Torajii Alpha or Apalapucia when Rose interrupted, sounding rather nervous. <br/>  “I was thinking… well, my dad died when I was really young. Could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?”  <br/>The Doctor looked concerned, and reached out to rest a hand on her arm. <br/>  “Where's this come from, all of a sudden?”<br/>  “All right then, if we can't, if it goes against the laws of time or something, then nevermind. Just leave it.” She was disappointed, and tried to hide it to avoid worrying her friends. But the Doctor wasn’t quite finished yet. <br/>  “No, I can do anything. I'm just more worried about you.”<br/>  “I want to see him.” Her heart pounded and she sat up a little straighter, hoping he was being serious. <br/>He stood, leaving his mug in the sink for the TARDIS to sort out. “Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for.”</p><p>In the console room, Eris had an arm around Rose as the Doctor started programming the controls. <br/>  “So what do you want to see? His birthday? Christmas?” <br/>  “I don’t know. I wasn’t sure you’d say yes, so I didn’t really think about it.” <br/>Smiling, Eris nudged Rose gently. <br/>  “How about the day he married your mum?” <br/>The expression on Rose’s face was all the answer he needed, and the Doctor made sure he had the right date before setting the TARDIS to land. He let Rose lead the way, falling into step with Eris as they followed her into the hall where the wedding was taking place. They had landed in a corner behind the rows of guests watching the event and slid into the three empty seats on the back row, unnoticed. Pete Tyler was in a grey suit and a patterned shirt that would only ever be considered fashionable in the eighties, gazing at his wife-to-be with such a tender look that it made Rose’s eyes well up. She felt Eris tangle a hand with hers as the registrar began the ceremony, appreciating the gesture. </p><p>  “Please repeat after me. I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentice,”<br/>Pete was obviously nervous, stumbling over his words. <br/>  “I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Suzanne... Suzette... Anita-”<br/>Jackie cut him off, and Rose knew she’d be rolling her eyes at him.<br/>  “Oh, just carry on. It's good enough for Lady Di.”<br/>  “To be my lawful wedded wife, to love and behold till death us do part.”<br/>As the vows finished and the happy couple shared a kiss to the sound of their families and friends cheering, Eris and the Doctor were worried by the odd look on Rose’s face, and ushered her back into the TARDIS so they could leave before any of the actual guests spotted them. <br/>  “Are you ok?” The Doctor had guided Rose to one of the seats in the console room and crouched in front of her, frowning slightly. <br/>Her voice shook. <br/>  “He died so close to home, and he was all alone. It was a hit and run driver, but they never found out who it was. He was dead when the ambulance got there. I want to be with him, so he doesn't die on his own.” <br/>In the silence that followed, Eris rubbed her back comfortingly as Rose sniffled. The Doctor stood, drawing her attention. <br/>  “Are you sure you can handle seeing something like that?” <br/>When she nodded, the Doctor sighed. <br/>  “What’s the date?” <br/>  “November the 7th, 1987.”<br/>  “Right. Eris, give us a hand.” <br/>The duo worked in tandem, moving in a partnership that almost looked choreographed, and before Rose had built the courage to stand up again, they had landed. </p><p>Outside the TARDIS, the Doctor made a mental note of the road sign and park railings they had landed by; he didn’t want to upset Rose more by having to drag her halfway around the whole neighbourhood after the incident because he’d forgotten where they were parked. It was oddly warm for the time of year and breezy, and the street felt very peaceful. Nevertheless, Rose was shivering. <br/>  “It's so weird. The day my father died. I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy. It's just an ordinary day.”<br/>  “The past is another country. 1987's just the Isle of Wight. Are you sure about this?”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>Eris locked the doors, pocketing the key as she turned to them. <br/>  “Which way do we go from here?” <br/>Rose led them a few streets away and stopped at the corner of a row of shops, blinking rapidly. <br/>  “This is it. Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase. Mum always said, that stupid vase.”<br/>A green car rounded the corner and pulled into the kerb opposite; even from where they were standing, they could recognise the driver. <br/>  “He got out of his car and crossed the road. Oh, God. This is it.”<br/>Pete got out of the car with a large cream coloured vase tucked under one arm, and the Doctor and Eris each held one of Rose’s hands as her trembling intensified. From the other end of the road a beige car sped towards Pete and collided with him, tyres squealing slightly as the driver panicked and drove away, leaving Pete in the middle of the road surrounded by fragments of smashed pottery. <br/>  “Go to him, quick.” The Doctor said, urging her forwards. But she couldn’t move. Her muscles had turned to stone and welded her feet to the floor as her eyes prickled with tears. The sound of sirens approaching brought them back to reality and Rose grabbed the Doctor’s sleeve, pleading with him. <br/>  “It's too late now. By the time the ambulance got there, he was dead. He can't die on his own. Can I try again?”</p><p>After five minutes of heated debate, the Doctor agreed to go back once more, and they found themselves standing a few metres behind their earlier versions. <br/>  “Right, that's the first you and me. It's a very bad idea, two sets of us being here at the same time. Just be careful they don't see us. Wait till she runs off and he follows, then go to your dad.”<br/>Rose choked back a sob. <br/>  “I can't do this.”<br/>Eris wiped a tear from Rose’s cheek. “You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but this is the last time we can be here.” <br/>Pete stepped out of the car and, without warning, Rose sprinted forwards to push her father out of the path of the car, ignoring the shouts of her friends behind her. Putting her hands on his shoulders she looked the bewildered man up and down, making sure he wasn’t hurt. <br/>  “I did it. I saved your life!” <br/>  “Blimey, did you see the speed of it? Did you get his number?”<br/>  “I really did it. Oh, my God, look at you. You're alive! That car was going to kill you.”<br/>  “Give me some credit, I did see it coming. I wasn't going to walk under it, was I?” Pete raised his eyebrows, stooping to pick the undamaged vase up from the road. <br/>  “I'm Rose.”<br/>  “That's a coincidence. That's my daughter's name.”<br/>She smiled softly. “That's a great name. Good choice. Well done.”<br/>  “Right, I'd better shift. I've got a wedding to go to.”<br/>  “Is that Sarah Clarke's wedding?”<br/>  “Yeah, are you going?”<br/>Hesitating slightly, Rose decided to go for it. “Yeah.”<br/>  “You and your boyfriend need a lift? What about your other friend?” <br/>Rose looked back to see Eris looking worried, and the Doctor standing next to her with a face like thunder. </p><p>Pete took them back to his flat. The whole ride there, the Doctor had been completely silent, ignoring all attempts that Pete made to start a conversation. <br/>  “Right, there we go. Sorry about the mess. If you want a cup of tea, the kitchens just down there, milk's in the fridge. Well, it would be, wouldn't it. Where else would you put the milk? Mind you, there's always the window sill outside. I always thought if someone invented a window sill with special compartments, you know, one for milk, one for yogurt, make a lot of money out of that. Sell it to students and things. I should write that down.” <br/>Eris grinned at Pete’s rambling. “Sounds like a brilliant idea to me.”<br/>  “Anyway, never mind that, excuse me for a minute. Got to go and change.”<br/>The moment the bedroom door closed, Rose took a closer look at the contents of the room, a soft smile on her face. <br/>  “All the stuff mum kept. His stuff. She kept it all packed away in boxes in the cupboard. She used to show me when she'd had a bit to drink. Here it is, on display, where it should be. Third prize at bowling. First two got to go to Didcot. Health drinks. Tonics, mum used to call them. He made his money selling this Vitex stuff. He had all sorts of jobs. He was so clever. Solar power. Mum said he was going to do this. Now he can.” When neither of her friends responded, Rose turned to look at them, arms crossed. Eris was fussing with the hem of her jumper, avoiding eye contact. The Doctor simply glared. <br/>  “Okay, look. I'll tell him you're not my boyfriend, alright? It’s not his fault for assuming.”<br/>His voice was quiet, but his anger was palpable. “When we met, I said travel with me in space. You said no. Then I said time machine.”<br/>  “It wasn't some big plan. I just saw it happening and I thought, I can stop it.”<br/>  “I did it again. I picked another stupid ape! I should've known. It's not about showing you the universe. It never is. It's about the universe doing something for you.”<br/>Eris raised an eyebrow. “Dad, there’s no need for insults.”<br/>Rose huffed. “So it's okay when you go to other times, and you save people's lives, but not when it's me saving my dad.”<br/>The Doctor raised his voice slightly. “I know what I'm doing, you don't. Two sets of us being there made that a vulnerable point.”<br/>  “But he's alive!”<br/>  “My entire planet died! My whole family! Do you think it never occurred to me to go back and save them?”<br/>  “But it's not like I've changed history. Not much. I mean he's never going to be a world leader. He's not going to start World War Three or anything.”</p><p>Eris moved to stand between them, keeping her voice calm as she explained. <br/>  “Rose, there's a man alive in the world who wasn't alive before. An ordinary man. That's the most important thing in creation. The whole world's different because he's alive.”<br/>  “What, would you rather him dead?”<br/>The Doctor scoffed. “I'm not saying that.”<br/>  “No, I get it! For once, you're not the most important man in my life.”<br/>  “Let's see how you get on without me, then.” He held a hand out in front of her, seething. “Give me the key. The Tardis key. If I'm so insignificant, give it back.”<br/>Shoving a hand in her pocket, she tugged the key from it and threw it at him. <br/>  “You've got what you wanted, so that's goodbye, then.”<br/>Rose pulled a face. “You don't scare me. I know how sad you are. You'll be back in a minute, or you'll hang around outside the Tardis waiting for me. And I'll make you wait a long time!” <br/>Silent, Eris stepped back to join the Doctor as he turned to leave, shooting Rose an apologetic look as they left the flat. Rose slammed the door behind them, and Pete peered around the bedroom door. <br/>  “Boyfriend trouble?”</p><p>  “You aren’t really going to leave her, are you?” <br/>The Doctor stopped, and rested his hands on Eris’ shoulders. <br/>  “We’ll stay away long enough that she starts to believe we have gone. It’s for the best, and we all need time to cool off.” She raised her eyebrows. “Ok fine, I need time to cool off. Come on” <br/>And they started walking again, heading for the TARDIS. </p><p>In Pete’s flat, Rose was absentmindedly tidying the coffee table, relying on the repetitive motions of picking up individual peanuts and putting them back in the bowl to stop her dwelling on the argument - and also to stop her worrying about her shaking hands. Pete returned to the living room, now wearing a smart grey suit, and frowned at her behaviour. <br/>  “Excuse me, do you mind? What're you tidying up for?”<br/>  “Sorry. Force of habit.”<br/>  “Listen, don't worry about him. Couples have rows all the time.”<br/>Rose sighed. “We're not a couple. Why does everyone think we're a couple?” She folded her arms across her chest. “I think he left me.”<br/>  “What, a pretty girl like you? If I was going out with you-”<br/>  “Stop right there!”<br/>Pete sounded confused. “I was just saying-”<br/>  “I know what you're saying, and we're not going there. At no point are we going anywhere near there. You aren't even aware that there exists. I don't even want to think about there, and believe me, neither do you. There for you is like, like the Bermuda Triangle.” She shuddered slightly, disgusted by the thought. <br/>  “Blimey, you know how to flatter a bloke.”<br/>  “Right, are we off?” She offered her arm to him, grinning. <br/>  “So, that wouldn't be a mixed signal at all?”<br/>  “Absolutely not.”<br/>Pete laughed incredulously. “I should take you back to the loony bin where you belong. Except I'm sure I've met you somewhere before. I don’t know, something about you just seems… familiar.” </p><p>By the time they’d reached the car, the conversation had turned to Pete’s many business ventures - so far, none of them seemed to have been successful. <br/>  “I met this bloke at the horse's, and he's cutting me in on copyright.”<br/>  “But I thought you were a proper businessman and that.”<br/>  “I wish! Oh, I do a bit of this, a bit of that. I scrape by.”<br/>  “Right. So I must've heard wrong. So, really you're a bit of a Del Boy?”<br/>Pete groaned. “Oh, shoot me down in flames. You're not related to my wife by any chance, are you?”<br/>The words stuck in Rose’s throat for a second. “Oh, my God. She's going to be at the wedding.”<br/>  “What, Jackie? Do you know her?”<br/>  “Sort of.”<br/>  “What's she told you about me, then?”<br/>A pause. “She said she'd picked the most fantastic man in the world.”<br/>Pete’s response was quietly morose. “Must be a different Jackie, then. She'd never say that.”<br/>The radio fizzled and glitched briefly before the station changed, blasting a rap song through the speakers. Both Tylers frowned, but for very different reasons. </p><p>  “This stuff goes right over my head.”<br/>Rose knew the song pretty well, and knew for a fact that it hadn’t been released until after the year 2000. “That song’s not out yet.”<br/>He didn’t seem to understand what she meant. “It's a good job and all.”<br/>  “I'm just going to check my messages.” Sufficiently freaked out by the rap song, Rose dug her phone out of her jeans and checked the voicemail, hoping that the Doctor had changed his mind and was ready to apologise. The only message that played, however, was a man’s voice that she didn’t recognise, repeating the same message. <br/>  “Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you.” <br/>She turned the phone off with a shaking finger, vaguely aware of a beige car behind them as they turned a corner. </p><p>Eris froze as they approached the TARDIS, a wave of nausea keeping her rooted to the spot. The Doctor carried on for a few paces before noticing she was no longer by his side and turned, frowning. <br/>  “What’s wrong?” <br/>  “I.. I don’t know. Something just feels wrong. I feel a bit sick.” <br/>He tucked an arm around her waist and helped her forwards before stopping himself, the same sense of wrongness and nausea washing over him. Unlocking the doors to the TARDIS, the Doctor’s hearts sank when they opened to reveal an ordinary, empty police box. The interior of the TARDIS was gone. <br/>  “Dad?” <br/>He threw the doors closed and urged her to come away, picking up the pace as she became more steady on her feet. <br/>  “We need to find Rose. This is bad.” <br/>They ran, heading for a large church that they had passed on the way to the road where the accident should have occurred. </p><p>The groom stuck his head out of the doors of the church and grabbed the arm of a man standing with a large phone pressed to his ear. “Dad, get inside. We can't see the bride before the wedding. It's bad luck.”<br/>  “It was bad luck when you met her, Stuart. I tell you, this day is cursed.”<br/>They ducked into the church at the same time as a car pulled up outside and a woman in a gorgeous wedding dress was helped out by her bridesmaids. Even from a distance, Jackie Tyler was easy to spot. <br/>  “Oh, my train's detached again. I knew I should've used Velcro!” The bride was twisting on the spot, trying to fix her dress by herself until Jackie passed the carry cot in her arms over to one of the other bridesmaids. <br/>  “Take Rose a sec, will you?”<br/>  “Oh, isn’t she pretty?”<br/>Jackie scoffed as she finished reattaching the train and stood. “She's a little madam, that's what she is. Oh, I need more hands. Where's her useless article of a dad got to?”<br/>As if on cue, Pete’s car came around the corner. From nowhere, the beige car from before appeared and drove straight at them, leaving Pete no choice but to swerve violently onto the kerb, narrowly missing a tree. Rose cried out without thinking. <br/>  “Dad!”<br/>  “It's that car. Same one as before.” Pete swivelled in the front seat to look for it, but the car had already vanished. “It was right in front of us. Where's he gone? You called me Dad. What'd you say that for?”<br/>Before Rose could come up with a believable excuse, Jackie had stormed over and wrenched the car door open, and was glowering down at Pete. The carry cot was safely tucked under her free arm. <br/>  “Oh, wonderful. Here he is, the accident waiting to happen. You'd be late for your own funeral and it nearly was!”<br/>  “No damage done.”<br/>  “And who's this? What're you looking at with your mouth open?”<br/>Rose stuttered slightly. “Your hair.”<br/>  “What?!”<br/>  “I've never seen it like... I mean, it's lovely. Your hair's lovely. And that baby you're holding. That would be your baby.”<br/>Jackie sneered. “Another one of yours, is she?”<br/>Pete jumped to her defence. “She saved my life!”<br/>  “Oh, that's a new one. What was it last time?”<br/>  “I didn't even know her. She was a cloakroom attendant. I was helping her look for my ticket. There were three duffle coats all the same. Somehow the rack collapsed. We were under all this stuff.”<br/>Rose paled as she realised what her mum had been suggesting, and looked at her dad. <br/>  “Were you playing around?”<br/>  “What's it got to do with you, what he gets up to?”<br/>  “What does he get up to?”<br/>  “You'd know.”<br/>Pete snapped. “Oh, 'cos I'm that stupid. I play around and I bring her to meet the missus. You silly cow.”<br/>  “But you are that stupid.”<br/>  “Can we keep this stuff back home just for now?”<br/>Jackie’s tone dripped with derision. “What, with the rest of the rubbish? You bring home cut-price detergents, tonic water, Betamax tapes and none of it works. I'm drowning in your rubbish. What did he tell you? Did he say he's this big businessman, because he's not. He's a failure. Born failure, that one. Rose needs a proper father, not one who's flannelling about like some big kid.”<br/>  “Jackie, I'm making a living, it keeps us fed, don't it?”<br/>  “Stop it!” Rose was doing her best to hold the tears back, looking desperately between her parents in shock. “You're not like this. You love each other.”<br/>Jackie sighed. “Oh, Pete. You never used to like them mental. Or I don't know, maybe you did.”<br/>He tried to plead with her. “Jackie, wait, just listen-”<br/>  “If you're not careful, there'll be a wedding and a divorce on the same day!” And with that, she strode away to rejoin the group of bridesmaids. <br/>Pete rubbed a hand over his face, before passing the car keys to a stunned Rose. “Wait here. Give us a couple of minutes with the missus. Tell you what, straighten the car up. Stick it round the corner or something. Don't cause anymore trouble.”</p><p>  “I'm not listening. It's just the duffle coats all over again.”<br/>  “Jackie, sometimes a duffle coat is just a duffle coat. Things will get better soon, I promise.”<br/>  “I've had enough of all your daft schemes!” I never know where the next meal is coming from.”<br/>Pete tentatively set a hand on her shoulder, relaxing slightly when she didn’t shake it off. <br/>  “I'll get it right, love. One day soon, I promise you, I'll get it right. Come on.”<br/>A panicked voice drew everyone’s attention, and they watched as a young black boy in a smart suit ran towards them, waving his hands in the direction he had come from. <br/>  “Monsters! Going to eat us!”<br/>One of the bridesmaids laughed, humouring him. “What sort of monsters, sweetheart? Is it aliens?” <br/>Ignoring her, the boy dived straight into the church as Rose got out of the car. The Doctor and Eris hurried across the road to her, shoving her down to the pavement as a creature burst into existence above them. It was huge, with leathery bat-like wings, cruelly sharp talons and cold red eyes. <br/>  “Get in the church!”<br/>Two more of the creatures appeared as Stuart and his father came out of the church to see what the commotion was, along with the vicar. <br/>  “Oh, my God. What are they? What are they?”<br/>  “Inside! Now!”<br/>Stuart pulled his fiancée into the church as his father and the vicar were consumed by the beings. He kept the door open long enough to help the Doctor and the girls inside, before slamming it closed. </p><p>  “They can't get in. Old windows and doors. Okay. The older something is, the stronger it is. What else? Go and check the other doors! Move!” The Doctor took charge while Eris looked Rose over, making sure she was unhurt. Most of the wedding guests did as he said, watching the windows fearfully as the silhouettes of the creatures circled outside. As expected, Jackie was less than willing to help. <br/>  “What's happening? What are they? What are they?”<br/>  “There's been an accident in time. A wound in time. They're like bacteria, taking advantage.”<br/>  “What do you mean, time? What're you jabbering on about, time?”<br/>The Doctor groaned, frustrated. “Oh, I might've known you'd argue. Jackie, I'm sick of you complaining.”<br/>  “How do you know my name?”<br/>  “I haven't got time for this.”<br/>  “I've never met you in my life!”<br/>  “No, and you never will unless I sort this out. Now, if you don't mind, I've waited a long time to say this. Jackie Tyler, do as I say. Go and check the doors!” <br/>She was silent for a moment, before nodding. “Yes, sir.”<br/>As she walked away, the Doctor grinned, and Eris couldn’t help but grin back. <br/>  “I should have done that ages ago.”<br/>Stuart moved to stand next to the Doctor, a haunted look on his face. “My dad was out there.”<br/>  “You can mourn him later. Right now we've got to concentrate on keeping ourselves alive.”<br/>  “My dad had-”<br/>  “There's nothing I can do for him.”<br/>  “No, but he had this phone thing. I can't get it to work. I keep getting this voice.”<br/>Handing the phone to the Doctor, Stuart watched as he and Eris leant in to listen to the message. <br/>  “Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you.”<br/>Eris shook her head. “That's the very first phone call. Alexander Graham Bell, 1876. I don't think the telephone's going to be much use.”<br/>  “But someone must have called the police.” <br/>The Doctor frowned, half directing his statement at Rose, who was standing a couple of feet away from them. “Police can't help you now. No one can. Nothing in this universe can harm those things. Time's been damaged and they've come to sterilise the wound. By consuming everything inside.”<br/>Stuart walked away and as they made to follow him, Rose held a hand out to stop her friends. <br/>  “Is this because of… is this my fault?” <br/>Their silence confirmed her fears. </p><p>The Doctor joined Pete at one of the windows in the vestry, leaving Eris to try and calm down some of the other guests who were still hysterical. <br/>  “There's smoke coming up from the city but no sirens. I don't think it's just us. I think these things are all over the place. Maybe the whole world.” As Pete spoke, the beige car materialised again and turned the corner, before disappearing. <br/>  “Was that a car?”<br/>The Doctor managed a smile, hoping that Pete wouldn’t notice its insincerity. “It's not important. Don't worry about it.”<br/>Rose entered the vestry and the Doctor left, barely able to look at her. Pete glanced back over his shoulder before realising who had joined him, and turned properly to speak to her. <br/>  “This mate of yours. What did he mean, this is your fault?”<br/>She shrugged, lost in thought. “Don't know. Just everything.”<br/>Pete was a far smarter man than anyone gave him credit for, and had already been considering the impossible. Now, it seemed like the only logical explanation. <br/>  “I gave you my car keys. You don't give your keys to a complete stranger. It's, it's like I trusted you. Moment I met you, I just did. wound in time. You called me Dad. I can see it. My eyes, Jackie's attitude. You sound like her when you shout. You are. You have to be. You're my Rose. You're my Rose, all grown up.”<br/>Rose couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into tears, letting her dad wrap her in the tightest hug he could manage. </p><p>Eris had her arm around the bride, who had barely managed to introduce herself as Sarah before her eyes welled up and her voice began to crack. As Eris did her best to stop Sarah’s makeup from running too badly and keep the poor girl calm, Stuart got the Doctor’s attention and called him over to stand with them. <br/>  “Excuse me, Mister-”<br/>  “Doctor.”<br/>  “You seem to know what's going on.”<br/>  “I give that impression, yeah.”<br/>  “I just wanted to ask-”<br/>Sarah wiped her nose, before interrupting. “Can you save us?”<br/>The Doctor looked at the couple, softening his tone. “Who are you two, then?”<br/>  “Stuart Hoskins.”<br/>  “Sarah Clarke.”<br/>Eris smiled, gesturing down at the woman’s small but noticeable bump. “Plus one. Boy or girl?”<br/>  “I don't know. I don't want to know, really.”<br/>Leading them over to one of the pews, the Doctor got them settled. “How did all this get started?”<br/>  “Outside the Beatbox Club, two in the morning.”<br/>  “Street corner. I'd lost my purse, didn't have money for a taxi.”<br/>  “I took her home.”<br/>The Doctor’s smile was genuine this time. “Then what? Asked her for a date?”<br/>  “Wrote his number on the back of my hand.”<br/>  “Never got rid of her since. My dad said-” Stuart stopped abruptly, thinking over what had happened outside. <br/>Sarah sniffled again. “I don't know what this is all about, and I know we're not important-”<br/>It was the Doctor’s turn to interrupt. <br/>  “Who said you're not important? I've travelled to all sorts of places, done things you couldn't even imagine, but you two. Street corner, two in the morning, getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that. I don’t think I ever will.” <br/>Eris put an arm around them both, looking between them as she made sure they got the Doctor’s message. <br/>  “Yes. We'll try and save you.”</p><p>In the vestry, Rose and Pete were sitting on two rickety wooden chairs, facing each other. Pete was still trying to get his head around the fact that his daughter was sitting opposite him, whilst also being in the next room. <br/>  “I'm a dad. I mean, I'm already a dad, but Rose grows up and she's you. That's wonderful. I mean, I suppose I thought that you'd be a bit useless, what with my useless genes and all, but. Well, I mean, how did you get here?”<br/>  “Do you really want to know?”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>  “A time machine.”<br/>Pete raised his eyebrows so high that they risked becoming a part of his already receding hairline. “Time machine.”<br/>  “Cross my heart.”<br/>  “What, do you all have time machines where you come from?”<br/>  “No, just the Doctor.”<br/>  “Did you know these things were coming?”<br/>Rose shuddered. “No.”<br/>Pete puffed his cheeks out. “God, I don't know, my head's spinning. What's the future like?”<br/>  “It's not so different.”<br/>  “What am I like? Have I gone grey? Have I gone bald? Don't tell me I've gone bald.” Rose remained silent, so he changed the subject. “So, this mate of yours isn't your boyfriend and I have to say I'm glad. Well, I think he's a bit old for you. He’s not with that other mate of yours, is he? Because she looks about your age and I can’t help but find that a bit odd. Have you got a bloke?”<br/>Rose bit back a laugh. “No way, he’s her dad! And no, I don’t. Well, I did have, but-”<br/>The conversation was cut off by the sound of Jackie calling for the young boy. “Mickey!”<br/>He ran into the room and threw his arms around Rose, clinging to her for dear life. <br/>Pete looked confused as realisation danced in Rose’s eyes. <br/>  “Do you know him?”<br/>  “I just didn't recognise him in a suit. You have to let go of me, sweetheart. I'm always saying that.”<br/>Jackie pulled Mickey away from Rose and sent him back into the nave of the church, sighing. <br/>  “He just grabs hold of what's passing and holds on for dear life. God help his poor girlfriend if he ever gets one.” A suspicious look crept onto Jackie’s face as she saw how close the two of them were sitting. “What are you doing?” <br/>  “Me and Rose were just talking.”<br/>  “Oh, yeah? Talking? While the world comes to an end, what do you do? Cling to the youngest blonde.” <br/>Throwing her hands up, Jackie left them in the vestry, and Rose rounded on Pete. <br/>  “You can't tell her.”<br/>  “Why?”<br/>  “I mean, I really don't want you to tell her.”<br/>  “What, do you not want people to know?”<br/>Rose shook her head. “Where I come from, Jackie doesn't know how to work the timer on the video recorder.”<br/>  “I showed her that last week.” His daughter’s silence spoke volumes. “Point taken.”</p><p>Most of the wedding guests were talking amongst themselves, leaving Eris and the Doctor sitting comfortably in the choir stalls. Miraculously, Jackie had trusted them enough to leave baby Rose with them. Eris was doing her best not to laugh as the Doctor cooed at the baby. <br/>  “Now, Rose you're not going to bring about the end of the world, are you? Are you?”<br/>Rose approached them and Eris looked up, smiling as the baby gripped one of her fingers. <br/>  “Jackie gave her to us to look after. Times change, don’t they?” <br/>Sitting next to her, Rose reached out, wanting to poke gently at her own chubby cheeks. <br/>  “I'd better be careful. I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken.”<br/>The Doctor pulled the baby closer to him, so she was out of Rose’s reach. <br/>  “No. Don't touch the baby. You're both the same person. That's a paradox, and we don't want a paradox happening, not with these things outside. Anything new, any disturbance in time makes them stronger. The paradox might let them in.”<br/>  “Can't do anything right, can I?” She grumbled. <br/>His voice sharpened. “Since you ask, no. So, don't touch the baby.”<br/>  “I'm not stupid.”<br/>  “You could have fooled me.” <br/>  “That’s enough.” Eris was quiet but forceful, clearly sick of the conflict. <br/>He relented, shoulders slumping. <br/>  “All right, I'm sorry. I wasn't really going to leave you on your own.”<br/>  “I know.”<br/>  “But between the three of us, I haven't got a plan. No idea. No way out.”<br/>  “You'll think of something.” Rose stood so she was opposite herself, watching her friends. <br/>The Doctor leaned forwards, resting his head in his hands and staring blankly at a point on the floor in front of them. <br/>  “The entire Earth's been sterilised. This, and other places like it, are all that's left of the human race. We might hold out for a while, but nothing can stop those creatures. They'll get through in the end. The walls aren't that old. And there's nothing I can do to stop them. There used to be laws stopping this kind of thing from happening. My people would have stopped this. But they're all gone. And now I'm going the same way.” <br/>Eris slid her hand into his and squeezed comfortingly, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand. Rose’s heart dropped as the gravity of the situation really hit her. <br/>  “If I'd realised…”<br/>  “Just tell me you're sorry.”<br/>  “I am. I'm sorry.”<br/>He stood and pulled her into a hug. Rose recoiled suddenly in the same moment that Eris swore, tugging her jumper over her head and rummaging through the pockets. Rose reached into the Doctor’s jacket. <br/>  “Have you got something hot?”<br/>She took out the TARDIS key and dropped it instantly; it landed on the floor beside Eris’ key. Both were glowing with a soft golden light.<br/>  “They’re still connected to the Tardis!” Taking his jacket off, he created a sort of nest for the keys out of it, bundling them up in Eris’ jumper for good measure, and ran to the pulpit to address the wedding guests. <br/>  “The inside of my ship was thrown out of the wound but we can use this to bring it back. And once I've got my ship back, then I can mend everything. Now, I just need a bit of power. Has anybody got a battery?”<br/>  “This one big enough?” <br/>Stuart stood, waving the battery from his dad’s mobile phone. <br/>  “Fantastic! Just need to do a bit of charging up and then we can bring everyone back.” <br/>He and Eris set about connecting the battery to the keys.</p><p> Pete approached Rose in the choir stalls, wanting another conversation. <br/>  “You, er, you never said why you came here in the first place. If I had a time machine, I wouldn't have thought 1987 was anything special. Not round here, anyway.”<br/>Rose shrugged, doing her best to appear nonchalant. “We just ended up here.”<br/>  “Lucky for me, eh? If you hadn't been there to save me.”<br/>  “That was just a coincidence. That was just really good luck. It's amazing.”<br/>  “So, in the future, are me and her indoors still together?”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>  “Are you still living with us?”<br/>  “Yep.”<br/>  “Am I a good dad?”<br/>She paused, doing her best to keep the sob from her voice as she answered. “You told me a bedtime story every night when I was small. You were always there. You never missed one. And er, you took us for picnics in the country every Saturday. You never let us down. You were there for us all the time. Someone I could really rely on.”<br/>Pete shook his head slowly. “That's not me.”</p><p>Next to the pulpit, the TARDIS was fading in and out of view, a mere shadow of herself, as the Doctor stepped away from the contraption he had set up. <br/>  “Right, no one touches that key. Have you got that? Don't touch it. Anyone touches that key, it'll be, well, zap. Just leave it be and everything will be fine. We'll get out of here. All of us. Stuart, Sarah you're going to get married, just like I said.”<br/>The couple wrapped their arms around each other as Rose and Pete joined Eris and the Doctor. Rose had a question she needed an answer to. <br/>  “When time gets sorted out-”<br/>  “Everybody here forgets what happened. And don't worry, the thing that you changed will stay changed.”<br/>Pete nodded, understanding. “You mean I'll still be alive, though I'm meant to be dead. That's why I haven't done anything with my life, why I didn't mean anything.”<br/>Eris shook her head at him, reprimanding. “It doesn't work like that.”<br/>  “Rubbish. I'm so useless I couldn't even die properly. Now it's my fault all of this has happened.”<br/>Rose was shaking slightly. “This is my fault.”<br/>  “No, love. I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault.”<br/>From behind them came a gasp and they turned to see Jackie, baby Rose cradled in her arms, an expression of pure disgust on her face. <br/>  “Her dad? How are you her dad? How old were you, twelve? Oh, that's vile.”<br/>  “Jacks, listen. This is Rose.”<br/>  “Rose? How sick is that? You give my daughter a second hand name? How many are there? Do you call them all Rose?”<br/>  “Oh, for God's sake, look. It's the same Rose!”<br/>Pete took the baby from Jackie and handed it to Rose, the Doctor realising what he was doing seconds too late. </p><p>  “Rose! No!”<br/>Eris managed to take the baby and give her back to Jackie, but not before one of the creatures appeared inside the church. The guests panicked and ran to the back wall, huddling together as the Doctor and Eris stood a few feet in front of them. The Doctor made sure he was still in front of his daughter, keeping her safe too. <br/>  “Everyone, behind me! I'm the oldest thing in here.”<br/>Rose screamed as the creature pounced, consuming the Doctor, before targeting the TARDIS. It made contact with the translucent form of the ship and they both vanished, the creature shrieking as it disappeared. There was a moment of pure silence. Rose crouched by the TARDIS keys and was dismayed to see that they had stopped glowing. <br/>  “It's cold. The key's cold. Oh, my God, he's dead. This is all my fault. Both of you. All of you. The whole world.” <br/>A soft thud startled her and she looked over to see Eris on her knees, facing the other end of the church, visibly trembling. Tentatively, Rose went to lay a hand on her friend’s shoulder and was shocked when her hand was smacked away, so harshly that it left her knuckles stinging. The girl didn’t even turn to look at her. <br/>  “Eris?”<br/>No response. </p><p>For the past half an hour, the creatures had been audibly scratching at the stonework of the church while Pete watched from one of the windows as the beige car circled the church over and over, disappearing and reappearing right before his eyes. Turning, he noticed that Rose had been left sitting alone in one of the pews. Eris was still on her knees where she’d fallen, staring blankly into the distance. She had one hand on the bundle of jumpers, wires and TARDIS keys, the other clenched tightly around a silver pocket watch on her lap. Leaving the window, Pete approached his daughter. He knew what had to happen next. <br/>  “The Doctor really cared about you. He didn't want you to go through it again, not if there was another way. Now there isn't.”<br/>  “What are you talking about?”<br/>  “The car that should have killed me, love. It's here. The Doctor worked it out way back, but he, er, he tried to protect me. Still, he's not in charge anymore. I am.”<br/>  “But you can't.”<br/>  “Who am I, love?”<br/>  “My daddy.”<br/>Jackie gasped, and Pete held a hand out to her. <br/>  “Jackie, look at her. She's ours.”<br/>  “Oh, of course.”<br/>Jackie pulled Rose into a hug and let her daughter sob against her shoulder, overwhelmed with a combination of guilt and grief. <br/>Pete took a deep breath. “I'm meant to be dead, Jackie. You're going to get rid of me at last.”<br/>  “Don't say that.”<br/>  “For once in your life, trust me. It's got to be done. You've got to survive, because you've got to bring up our daughter. I never read you those bedtime stories. I never took you on those picnics. I was never there for you.”<br/>Rose looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You would have been.”<br/>  “But I can do this for you. I can be a proper dad to you now.”<br/>  “But it's not fair.”<br/>  “I've had all these extra hours. No one else in the world has ever had that. And on top of that, I got to see you. And you're beautiful. How lucky am I, eh? So, come on, do as your dad says. Are you going to be there for me, love?” She nodded, and he hugged her one last time. “Thanks for saving me.”</p><p>Clutching the vase close to his chest, Pete ran out of the church and into the road, right into the path of the car. Jackie and Rose followed, both sobbing as the car collided with Pete and sent him sprawling to the ground. The vase shattered, and the creatures blinked out of existence almost as quickly as they had appeared. <br/>  “Go to him. Quick.” <br/>The sound of the Doctor’s voice made Rose’s heart skip a few beats, but she squashed her joy at his return and ran to her dad, kneeling by his side as the driver stuttered apologies while phoning for an ambulance. <br/>Ducking back into the church, the Doctor knelt in front of his daughter, careful not to get in the way of the guests who were hurrying towards the doors to see what was going on. She didn’t seem to see him at first, staring through him rather than at him. Moving slowly so he wouldn’t startle her, he leant in and kissed the top of her head, pulling her close and holding her to his chest as the tears of relief started to fall. </p><p>Out in the road, Rose stroked her father’s head as he lay there, getting weaker by the second. When he stopped moving for the last time, Rose kissed him goodbye and stood up, taking a few deep breaths to settle herself. A memory drifted into her head, one she didn’t even know she had. <br/>They were in Jackie’s bedroom, a memory box on the bed between them. A mixture of old trophies, photos and pieces of clothing covered the duvet. Rose was listening to her mum telling the story of how her dad passed away. “The driver was just a kid. He stopped, he waited for the police. It wasn't his fault. For some reason, Pete just ran out. People say there was this girl, and she sat with Pete while he was dying. She held his hand. Then she was gone. Never found out who she was.”<br/>She walked back to the pavement, seeing Eris and the Doctor standing there. Rose managed a smile, but it wasn’t returned by either of her friends. <br/>  “I’m sorry.” <br/>The Doctor nodded. “I know. Come on; let’s move before questions get asked.” <br/>Upon returning to the TARDIS, Eris had passed straight through the console room and vanished into the depths of the ship, leaving a very concerned Rose behind. The girl still hadn’t spoken a word to her. <br/>  “Is Eris alright?” <br/>Stopping his work at the console, the Doctor sat down beside her. <br/>  “No, I don’t think she is.”<br/>  “I’ve tried to apologise, but she won’t even look at me!” <br/>  “The thing is, with Eris, she’s lost so many people. Outlived so many friends. After all this time, I’m the only person she has who really understands what life is like for her. She’s scared of being alone, Rose. And today she thought her worst nightmare had come true.” <br/>Rose chewed nervously at the inside of her cheek. <br/>  “Why won’t she let me talk to her?” <br/>The Doctor sighed, standing up and moving over to the console again. <br/>  “She’s stubborn, and has a proper hot temper. Combine that with the shock of what happened, and her mind is probably all over the place right now. If you want to try and talk at her, she’ll be in the library - third corridor, take a left, eighth door on the right. But my advice would be to leave her for this evening, give her time for the anxiety to settle a bit.” <br/>Rose sat for a moment, weighing up her options, before standing. <br/>  “Eighth door on the right, yeah?” <br/>  “Yep. Good luck.” </p><p>A few minutes later, Rose found herself outside the doors to the library. Was this really a good idea? ‘Screw it,’ she thought ‘I have to try.’ And she opened the door, and walked in. It was far larger than she’d expected, with four floors packed with floor to ceiling bookshelves. The TARDIS had put in a large skylight in the upper roof that was visible all the way down on the first floor, and rain was somehow falling against it, the noise echoing gloriously through the structure. It was very ‘Harry Potter’, dark but cosy, and from somewhere out of sight a fire was crackling gently. Faint strains of soft folk music drew her towards a place near the middle of the cavernous room and the glow from the fire became visible, just before she stepped into a snug seating area. Eris was curled in one corner of a long sofa, knees close to her chest, a book in her hands. Rose hesitated before sitting at the other end of the sofa, shifting awkwardly. </p><p>  “Are you gonna sit there all evening?” Rose jumped at the sound of Eris’ voice; the lower half of the girl’s face was hidden by her book and she hadn’t been expecting her to start the conversation. <br/>  “I wanted to come and say sorry. For what happened, I-” <br/>  “It’s ok.” <br/>Rose blinked, confused. “So why didn’t you say so earlier?” <br/>Eris lowered her book, trying to keep the irritation off her face.<br/>  “Because I don’t have anything else nice to say to you right now. And it wouldn’t be fair of me to snap at you when everything turned out alright.” <br/>They fell into silence again, the only noises coming from a record player on the table and the occasional turning of a page. <br/>  “What are you reading?” <br/>Eris lifted her book so Rose could see the title - ‘The Wonderful Visit’ by H.G. Wells - before resuming her reading. <br/>  “What’s the music?” <br/>In response, Eris reached over to the table and passed the record cover to Rose, who could only understand half of the title as the rest was in lettering she didn’t recognise. <br/>  “Venusian lullabies?” <br/>Eris shot her a look, and Rose got the point. She really wasn’t going to say anything else to her. <br/>Standing, Rose waited just a moment longer, in the hopes that Eris would cave and say something else. Nothing. She left the library and bumped into the Doctor, who’d been waiting outside with a knowing look on his face. </p><p>  “And?” <br/>  “She barely said anything! Other than ‘it’s okay’ all I got was the silent treatment!” <br/>The Doctor snorted. “You got off lightly. I’ve tried pushing her to speak before and I’ve had all sorts of things thrown at me - books, shoes… a giant toy shark!” Rose couldn’t stop herself laughing at that. “Maybe that’s ‘cause it’s me though. Come on. She’ll talk when she’s ready.” <br/>And the duo headed to the kitchen, leaving their friend to her thoughts once again.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Empty Child</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rose was woken by a discordant alarm ringing through the corridors, not muffled at all by her bedroom door. Groaning, she hauled herself out of bed and threw on the first clothes she could find before staggering towards the console room. Eris and the Doctor looked fresh and ready for action as they battled the turbulence together, doing their best to maintain the ship’s stability. <br/>  “What's the emergency?” She yawned. <br/>  “It's mauve.” Eris called back, growling in frustration as a shower of sparks burst from the lever she was trying to work with. <br/>  “Mauve?”<br/>  “The universally recognised colour for danger.” The Doctor had more success with his switches, and reached an arm round to adjust the problematic lever. <br/>  “What happened to red?”<br/>  “That's just humans. By everyone else's standards, red's camp. Oh, the misunderstandings. All those red alerts, all that dancing. It's got a very basic flight computer. I've hacked in, slaved the TARDIS to it. Where it goes, we go.” <br/>Rose frowned, not convinced. “And that's safe, is it?”<br/>  “Totally.”<br/>As if she was doing it just to spite him, the TARDIS let off a loud bang and another shower of sparks, this one much larger than the first. <br/>  “Okay, reasonably. Should have said reasonably.” He moved to make another check on the flight path, before hastily punching a series of buttons. “No, no, no, no! It's jumping time tracks, getting away from us.”<br/>  “What exactly is this thing?” Rose tried to look at the image on the scanner, but the shaking was so intense that she could barely see straight. <br/>  “No idea.”<br/>  “Then why are we chasing it?”<br/>  “It's mauve and dangerous, and about thirty seconds from the centre of London.”</p><p>A handful of expertly executed dodgy manoeuvres later and the TARDIS materialised in a narrow alleyway. Eris was the first to leave, stretching her arms wide and spinning in a circle in the cool night air. She was wearing a knee length, pale blue dress that oozed vintage charm, and the skirt caught the slight breeze beautifully. Rose followed, laughing at her friend’s actions. Things had been awkward between them for a day or so on board, but everything seemed to be back to normal now. The Doctor closed the door behind him, looked around, and sighed. <br/>  “Do you know how long you can knock around space without happening to bump into Earth?”<br/>  “Five days? Or is that just when we're out of milk?” Rose nudged Eris, and the brunette pulled a sympathetic face at her dad. <br/>  “Oh Rose, don’t be dramatic. It’s definitely six days.” <br/>They fell about laughing as the Doctor elected to ignore their teasing. <br/>  “Of all the species in all the Universe and it has to come out of a cow. Anyway, the thing must have come down somewhere quite close. Within a mile, anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month.”<br/>Rose stopped laughing. “A month? We were right behind it.”<br/>  “It was jumping time tracks all over the place. We're bound to be a little bit out. Do you want to drive instead?”<br/>  “Yeah. How much is a little?”<br/>  “A bit.”<br/>  “Is that exactly a bit?” Eris watched as the Doctor fumbled in his pockets for a few moments before handing over the psychic paper, snorting at his expression. “You should pay better attention if you want to hang onto all your belongings.” <br/>Rose grinned, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets. <br/>  “What's the plan, then? Are you going to do a scan for alien tech or something?”<br/>  “Rose, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm going to ask.” The Doctor held the psychic paper out to her, showing her that it was no longer blank. <br/>  “Doctor John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids.”<br/>  “It's psychic paper. It tells you-”<br/>  “Whatever you want it to tell me, I remember.”<br/>  “Sorry.” <br/>They reached a metal door marked ‘Deliveries Only’ and Eris set to it with her lock pick. <br/>Rose looked a little disappointed at the lack of flair in their methodology. <br/>  “Not very Spock, is it, just asking.”<br/>The Doctor shrugged. “Door, music, people. What do you think?”<br/>  “I think you should do a scan for alien tech. Give me some Spock, for once. Would it kill you?”<br/>  “Are you sure about that t-shirt?” He gestured down at Rose’s Union Flag t-shirt, sceptical. <br/>  “Too early to say. I'm taking it out for a spin.”<br/>The door opened with a soft click and Eris grinned, before turning sharply to look to her left. Glancing at Rose, she knew that they had both heard the same thing. </p><p>  “Mummy? Mummy?” A child’s voice echoed from somewhere close to them, high and afraid. <br/>Realising that the Doctor had already gone inside, the girls waited for a moment in hope that they had misheard. <br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>Rose gasped, pointing up to a nearby roof. A little boy in a jacket, shorts and a gas mask was standing close to the edge, calling out.  <br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>  “Are you alright up there?” <br/>They didn’t get an answer and Eris ran towards a nearby fire escape staircase, hoping it would take them up to the right place. Rose followed close behind her and they made it onto a flat section of roof a few metres below the child. Sitting on Eris’ shoulders, Rose tried to reach up for the child, but still came up too short. <br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>  “Okay, hang on. Don't move!” <br/>A rope appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, hanging in front of the girls. Rose pulled at it, and it felt secure. Gripping it with shaking hands, she tried to wrap her legs around it and shimmy up. Eris pushed her up further, making sure there was enough rope left for her to cling to. <br/>  “Mummy. Balloon!” <br/>Eris’ heart sank as the rope drifted away from the wall and she looked up, groaning at the sight of the grey barrage balloon high above them. The balloon’s movement carried them out so they were far above London’s cramped terraces - and a long way off the ground. Above her, Rose was screaming. <br/>  “Doctor! Doctor!” <br/>Explosions thudded and fires burst up in various parts of the city, and the drone of a squadron of planes grew louder as they flew towards them. The markings on the planes became clearer as they approached. <br/>  “Whose planes are they?” <br/>Eris shouted up to Rose in response, adjusting her grip slightly on the rope. “The Germans!” <br/>  “Okay, maybe not this t-shirt.” Rose breathed, trying to shift her body so her jacket covered more of the flag that was splashed across her chest. </p><p>Down in the nightclub off the alleyway, the Doctor was rather enjoying himself. Men in smart suits and women in stylish dresses were crowded around small tables in the dim candlelight, shrouded in a haze of cigarette smoke. The room was resplendent with dark wood and deep red velvet, and felt extremely welcoming. He stood in a corner of the room, waiting for an opportunity to talk to the crowd. On the stage, a pretty young woman was singing a soft jazz number, accompanied by a band and a saxophonist. She finished her performance to a round of applause from the audience, and the Doctor seized the moment. <br/>  “Excuse me. Excuse me. Could I have everybody's attention just for a mo? Be very quick. Hello! Might seem like a stupid question, but has anything fallen from the sky recently?”<br/>The Doctor had anticipated - and prepared for - several responses. Widespread laughter, however, hadn’t been one of them. <br/>  “Sorry, have I said something funny? It's just, there's this thing that I need to find. Would've fallen from the sky a couple of days ago.” <br/>In the background, the wail of a siren dampened people’s good humour and there was a wave of movement towards the exits. The Doctor tried again.  <br/>  “Would've landed quite near here. With a very loud-” He faltered as he spotted one of the many posters on the wall. It was simple, but effective; an image of several aeroplanes, surrounded by large, blocky lettering: ‘Hitler will send no warning!’<br/>  “Bang.” He finished forlornly. Then a spike of worry hit him - the girls were still outside. </p><p>Hurrying back into the alleyway, the Doctor sighed as he realised that neither of the girls were where he had left them. A cat meowed glumly from the lid of a bin next to him and he reached out to stroke it. “You know, one day, just one day, maybe, I'm going to meet someone who gets the whole don't wander off thing. Nine hundred years of phone box travel, it's the only thing left to surprise me.”<br/>His head whipped around so fast that the muscles in his neck twinged painfully as the phone in the TARDIS door rang. <br/>  “How can you be ringing? What's that about, ringing? What am I supposed to do with a ringing phone?” He opened the small cupboard behind the sign on the TARDIS door and stared at the phone, bewildered, before digging the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. <br/>  “Don't answer it. It's not for you.” <br/>Startled, the Doctor looked up and made eye contact with a young woman who was standing a few metres away from him. Wrapped in a long, dark coat and thick scarf, she looked around her nervously as the Doctor frowned.<br/>  “And how do you know that?”<br/>  “I just do. And I'm telling you, don't answer it.”<br/>He scoffed, turning back to the phone and poking the receiver in annoyance. <br/>  “Well, if you know so much, tell me this. How can it be ringing? It's not even a real phone. It's not connected, it's not-”<br/>But the young woman had vanished. He picked up the phone, unable to hold off his curiosity any longer. <br/>  “Hello? Hello? This is the Doctor speaking.” A pause. “How may I help you?”<br/>  “Mummy? Mummy?”<br/>  “Who is this? Who's speaking?”<br/>  “Are you my mummy?”<br/>  “Who is this?”<br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>  “How did you ring here? This isn't a real phone. It's not wired up to anything.”<br/>The call ended and the dial tone played; the Doctor put the phone down and knocked on the TARDIS door. <br/>  “Rose? Rose, are you in there? Eris, is that you mucking about with the phone?” <br/>A commotion nearby caught his attention, and he ran to see what was happening. </p><p>  “The planes are coming. Can't you hear them? Into the shelter. None of your nonsense, now move it!”<br/>Clambering onto a dustbin, the Doctor peered over a wall into the back garden of a house, where a mother was directing her husband and child towards an air raid shelter. <br/>  “Come on, hurry up, get in there. Come on. Arthur! Arthur, Will you hurry up? Didn't you hear the siren?”<br/>  “Middle of dinner, every night. Blooming Germans. Don't you eat?”<br/>  “I can hear the planes!”<br/>  “Don't you eat?”<br/>  “Oh, keep your voice down, will you? It's an air raid! Get in. Look, there's a war on.”<br/>  “I know there's a war on. Don't push me.”<br/>The Doctor chuckled as the couple bickered their way into the shelter, before narrowing his eyes as the girl from the alleyway crept under the garden fence and tiptoed into the house. </p><p>High over Westminster, Eris could tell that Rose was struggling to hold onto the rope. A plane flew uncomfortably close to them and Rose lost her grip, her feet slamming into Eris’ shoulder as she fell, pulling her off the rope as well. They both fell a few metres before freezing suddenly in mid air, surrounded by rings of electric blue light. <br/>  “Stasis field.” Eris gasped. “But who-”<br/>  “Okay, okay, I've got you.” A smooth, suave American voice sounded loud and clear next to them, as if it was coming from an invisible loudspeaker. <br/>Rose’s voice shook, adrenaline still racing through her from the terror of the fall. <br/>  “Who's got us? Who's got us, and you know, how?”<br/>  “I'm just programming your descent pattern. I can see you, keep as still as you can and keep your hands and feet inside the light field.”<br/>Eris shouted back, indignant. “If you’re looking up my skirt, I’ll punch you the second I get the chance.” <br/>He barked out a laugh. “I promise, I’m not looking. Oh, and could you switch off your cell phone? No, seriously, it interferes with my instruments.”<br/>Eris laughed as Rose scoffed, disbelieving but doing as he said anyway. <br/>  “You know, no one ever believes that.”<br/>  “Thank you. That's much better.”<br/>  “Oh, yeah, that's a real load off, that is. I'm hanging in the sky in the middle of a German air raid with the Union Jack across my chest, but hey, my mobile phone's off.” A note of hysteria had crept into Rose’s voice and Eris reached out to hold her hand, doing her best to calm the girl down. <br/>  “Ok you two, hold tight!”<br/>  “To what?”<br/>The man laughed. “Fair point.”<br/>And then they were falling again, but this time it was controlled; they were being pulled down the diagonal funnel of the light field at speed towards something they couldn’t see. Seconds later, both girls were inside some sort of cramped vehicle, surrounded by complex control panels and knots of wires. A tall, dark haired man was waiting with open arms and steadied Rose as she landed. <br/>  “I've got you. You're fine, you're just fine. The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little.” <br/>  “Hello.”<br/>  “Hello.”<br/>  “Hello. Sorry, that was hello twice there. Dull, but you know, thorough.”<br/>  “Are you two alright?” He glanced over at Eris, frowning slightly as she rubbed her shoulder and winced. <br/>Rose swayed a little. “Fine. Why, are you expecting me to faint or something?” <br/>  “You look a little dizzy.”<br/>  “What about you? You're not even in focus.”<br/>She fainted against his chest and he bundled her carefully onto a low bunk, before looking over at Eris. </p><p>  “Do I have to catch you as well?” <br/>  “Nope.” <br/>He closed the gap between them and raised an eyebrow.<br/>  “Is your shoulder okay?” <br/>Eris poked at it with her uninjured hand. “A bit strained, but not too bad. It’ll be fine in a few minutes.” <br/>  “And your legs?” He smirked, then groaned jokingly as she landed a punch on his arm.<br/>  “You said you wouldn’t look!”<br/>  “I didn’t, that’s why I’m asking!” <br/>  “Well, they’re fine. Thanks for catching us.” <br/>The man grinned, holding out a hand and leading her to the chairs at the front of the small space by the main control desk. <br/>  “So, how’d a pretty girl like you end up hanging out in a place like that, huh?” </p><p>***</p><p>  “It's got to be black market. You couldn't get all this on coupons.” <br/>Inside the dining room of the house he had been watching, the Doctor stood in a corner, watching a large group of ragged-looking children tucking into a generous spread of food that had certainly been abandoned by the family when the air raid started. The girl he had met in the alleyway was at the head of the table, carving the joint of meat into thin slices. She didn’t seem impressed by the tall boy’s comment. <br/>  “Ernie, how many times? We are guests in this house. We will not make comments of that kind. Washing up.”<br/>  “Oh, Nancy.”  He whined as the other children laughed, glad that they had been spared the onerous task. Nancy smiled kindly at a young boy who looked rather nervous. <br/>  “Haven't seen you at one of these before.”<br/>  “Ernie told me about it.”<br/>  “Sleeping rough?”<br/>  “Yes, miss.”<br/>  “All right, then. One slice each, and I want to see everyone chewing properly.”<br/>The Doctor slid quietly into the only empty seat at the table, unnoticed as the plate of meat was passed around; at present, food was clearly the priority for the hungry children. <br/>  “Thank you, miss.”<br/>  “Thanks, miss.”<br/>  “Thank you miss.”<br/>  “Thanks, miss!” Chairs scraped against the wooden floor as the children panicked, finally noticing the stranger at the table, and prepared to leave. Nancy sighed. <br/>  “It's all right. Everybody stay where you are!”<br/>  “Good here, innit? Who's got the salt?”<br/>  “Back in your seats. He shouldn't be here either.” <br/>Giving the group a few moments to sit down and calm down, the Doctor chewed a mouthful of food and swallowed, before starting the conversation up again. </p><p>  “So, you lot, what's the story?”<br/>Ernie looked like he didn’t quite trust him. “What do you mean?”<br/>  “You're homeless, right? Living rough?”<br/>  “Why do you want to know that? Are you a copper?”<br/>  “Of course I'm not a copper. What's a copper going to do with you lot anyway? Arrest you for starving?” The kids relaxed more as they laughed at his joke, most of them starting to eat again.<br/>  “I make it… 1941. You lot shouldn't even be in London. You should've been evacuated to the country by now.”<br/>A ginger boy to his left pulled a face. “I was evacuated. They sent me to a farm.”<br/>  “So why'd you come back?”<br/>  “There was a man there.”<br/>Another boy piped up, speaking around a mouthful of potato. “Yeah, same with Ernie. Two homes ago.”<br/>Ernie threw a piece of carrot at him. “Shut up. It's better on the streets anyway. It's better food.”<br/>  “Yeah. Nancy always gets the best food for us.”<br/>The Doctor smiled, liking Nancy more by the minute. “So, that's what you do, is it, Nancy?”<br/>  “What is?” She stared at him, an odd look on her face. <br/>  “As soon as the sirens go, you find a big fat family meal still warm on the table with everyone down in the air raid shelter and bingo! Feeding frenzy for the homeless kids of London Town. Puddings for all, as long as the bombs don't get you.”  <br/>  “Something wrong with that?”<br/>  “Wrong with it? It's brilliant. I'm not sure if it's Marxism in action or a West End musical.”<br/>  “Why'd you follow me? What do you want?”<br/>He dropped the joking attitude and leant forwards, making direct eye contact with her. <br/>  “I want to know how a phone that isn't a phone gets a phone call. You seem to be the one to ask.”<br/>  “I did you a favour. I told you not to answer it, that's all I'm telling you.”<br/>The Doctor shrugged. “Great, thanks. And I could do with another favour, I’m looking for a blonde in a Union Jack shirt and a girl with brown hair in a blue dress. Specific ones, I didn’t just wake up this morning with a craving. Anybody seen two girls that look like that?”<br/>Nancy stood, red in the face, and strode towards the Doctor, snatching the plate from in front of him. <br/>  “What have I done wrong?”<br/>  “You took two slices. No girls, no flags. Anything else before you leave?”<br/>  “Yeah, there is actually, thanks for asking. Something I've been looking for. Would've fallen from the sky about a month ago, but not a bomb. Not the usual kind, anyway. Wouldn't have exploded. Probably would have just buried itself in the ground somewhere, and it would have looked something like this.” <br/>As he spoke, he drew a rough ink sketch on a scrap of paper from one of his pockets and held it up for them to see. It was little more than a featureless tube, but Nancy stiffened when she saw it. </p><p>A series of knocks at the window made everyone jump, and a high voice accompanied it. <br/>  “Mummy? Are you in there, mummy? Mummy?” <br/>The Doctor pulled aside the curtain to reveal a little blonde boy in a gas mask. <br/>  “Who was the last one in?” Nancy spoke with urgency, looking around at the worried faces of the children. <br/>  “Him.” Ernie pointed to one of the youngest boys, but Nancy shook her head. <br/>  “No, he came round the back. Who came in the front?”<br/>One of the girls looked up at Nancy, visibly nervous. “Me.”<br/>  “Did you close the door?”<br/>She couldn’t meet Nancy’s eyes as the voice of the child got louder. <br/>  “Mummy? Mummy? Mummy?”<br/>Nancy ran into the hallway, closely followed by the Doctor, and bolted the front door shut. <br/>The Doctor frowned at her actions. <br/>  “What's this, then? It's never easy being the only child left out in the cold, you know.”<br/>  “I suppose you'd know.”<br/>  “I do actually, yes.”<br/>  “It's not exactly a child.”<br/>And without an explanation, she left him in the hallway. He listened as she urged the kids to run through the garden and crawl under the fence to escape, confused as to why it was such an emergency. Through the door, the boy was calling out again. <br/>  “Mummy? Mummy? Please let me in, mummy. Please let me in, mummy.”<br/>A small hand poked through the letterbox, reaching out. <br/>  “Are you all right?”<br/>  “Please let me in.”<br/>The hand drew back sharply as a piece of pottery flew past the Doctor’s head and shattered against the door. Nancy sounded terrified. <br/>  “You mustn't let him touch you!”<br/>  “What happens if he touches me?”<br/>  “He'll make you like him.”<br/>  “And what's he like?”<br/>She shook her head. “I've got to go.”<br/>  “Nancy, what's he like?”<br/>  “He's... empty.”</p><p>Behind them, the phone rang. Nancy was shaking, backing away from the door. <br/>  “It's him. He can make phones ring. He can. Just like with that police box you saw.”<br/>The Doctor picked up the phone and heard the child again. <br/>  “Are you my mummy?”<br/>Snatching the phone away from him and slamming it down, Nancy’s eyes were welling up as the radio turned on in the next room, and a clockwork monkey clinked in time to the same two syllables. <br/>  “Mummy?” <br/>  “You stay if you want to.” And Nancy left him there, breaking into a run as she reached the back door. The boy put his hand through the letterbox again, exposing a dark Y-shaped scar across the back of it. <br/>  “Mummy? Let me in please, mummy. Please let me in.”<br/>The Doctor kept his tone light, not wanting to frighten the poor boy. “Your mummy isn't here.”<br/>  “Are you my mummy?”<br/>  “No mummies here. Nobody here but us chickens. Well, this chicken.”<br/>  “I'm scared.”<br/>  “Why are those other children frightened of you?”<br/>  “Please let me in, mummy. I'm scared of the bombs.”<br/>  “Okay. I'm opening the door now.” He stood and the boy pulled his hand away; he slowly unbolted the door and pulled it open only to find that the street was completely deserted. </p><p>*** </p><p>Rose blinked slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the dimness inside the strange man’s vehicle. She moved to roll off the bunk and ended up in the arms of the stranger for a second time. <br/>  “Better now?”<br/>  “Yeah. How long was I out?” <br/>Eris was swinging back and forth in the co-pilot’s chair, and waved to her. “Maybe five minutes? Not too long.”<br/>  “You got lights in here?” <br/>The man reached up and flicked a switch, brightening the lights, before grinning down at her. <br/>  “Hello.”<br/>  “Hello.”<br/>  “Hello.”<br/>Eris groaned in mock despair, standing up to join them. “Let's not start that again.”<br/>Rose looked their saviour up and down, impressed by his good looks. <br/>  “So, who're you supposed to be, then?”<br/>  “Captain Jack Harkness, 133 Squadron, Royal Air Force. American volunteer.” He winked at Eris as he passed his ID card to Rose. The brunette shook her head imperceptibly, and whispered to him. <br/>  “It didn’t work on me, Captain. What makes you think it’ll work on her?” <br/>  “Can’t hurt to try.” He murmured back, but Rose had already spotted his deception. <br/>  “Liar. This is psychic paper. It tells me whatever you want it to tell me.”<br/>  “How do you know?”<br/>  “Two things. One, we have a friend who uses this all the time.”<br/>Eris nudged Jack. “Which is exactly what I told you earlier.”<br/>  “And two, you just handed me a piece of paper telling me you're single and you work out.”<br/>Jack brushed imaginary dirt from his jacket, grinning. “Tricky thing, psychic paper.”<br/>  “Yeah. Can't let your mind wander when you're handing it over.”<br/>Rose passed it back to him, and Jack’s grin widened - if that was even possible, the man was practically a walking toothpaste advert with a smile like that. <br/>  “Oh, you sort of have a boyfriend called Mickey Smith but you consider yourself to be footloose and fancy free.”<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “Actually, the word you use is available.”<br/>  “No way.”<br/>  “And another one, very.”<br/>Eris interrupted. “Shall we try and get along without the psychic paper?”<br/>  “That would be better, wouldn't it?” Jack tucked the wallet back into his pocket and leaned against the wall, unable to stand at full height due to the low ceiling. </p><p>  “This ship of yours, it’s very Spock.”<br/>Eris pulled a face at Rose’s comment, out of Jack’s line of sight. <br/>He seemed confused. “Who?”<br/>  “Guessing you're not a local boy, then.”<br/>  “A cell phone, a liquid crystal watch, and fabrics that won't be around for at least another two decades. Guessing you're not a local girl.”<br/>  “Guessing right.” <br/>Jack turned to Eris, looking her up and down in the improved light. <br/>  “So what about you? Because you certainly look local, but you sure don’t sound like one.”<br/>Eris smirked. “Is looking local a compliment or an insult?” <br/>  “Definitely a compliment in your case.”<br/>  “Well then, I’m flattered Captain. And thanks, again, for picking us up. I don’t think either of us fancied leaving a stain on the streets of 1940s London.”<br/>  “You’re very welcome; always glad to help out damsels in distress - especially when they’re as easy on the eyes as you are.”<br/>Rose put a hand to her mouth to smother a giggle and hissed, the pressure on the raw skin on her palm making it sting. <br/>Jack frowned at her sympathetically. “Burn your hands on the rope?”<br/>A bomb whistled past them as Rose replied. <br/>  “Yeah. We're parked in midair! Can't anyone down there see us?”<br/>  “No. Can I have a look at your hands for a moment?”<br/>  “Why?”<br/>  “Please? You can stop acting now. I know exactly who you two are. I can spot Time Agents a mile away.”<br/>  “Time Agents?” Rose started to ask exactly what he meant when she noticed Eris shaking her head. Jack kept talking, mistaking Rose’s confusion for an attempt to hide their true identity. <br/>  “I've been expecting one of you guys to show up. Though not, I must say, by barrage balloon. Do you often travel that way?”<br/>  “Sometimes I get swept off my feet… by balloons.” She frowned as Jack removed his scarf from around his neck. “What are you doing?”<br/>  “Try to keep still.” He wrapped the scarf around her wrists so that her palms were secured side-by-side, before leaning over to press a button on the main console. An amorphous glowing blob appeared and flew towards Rose’s hands. <br/>  “Nanogenes. Sub-atomic robots. The air in here is full of them. They just repaired three layers of your skin.” He untied her wrists once the glowing had vanished, and Rose realised that her hands already felt much better. <br/>  “Well, tell them thanks.”<br/>  “Shall we get down to business?”<br/>  “Business?” Eris frowned slightly, smiling when Jack offered her his arm. <br/>  “Shall we have a drink on the balcony? Would you bring up the glasses, Rose?” And he opened a hatch in the roof and led Eris onto the top of the spaceship, leaving Rose to follow them. </p><p>It took Rose several moments to feel comfortable on the roof of Jack’s spaceship - because not being able to see what she was standing on was rather disorientating. She stayed very still, not knowing where it was safe to put her feet; falling to her death now, after she’d been rescued from doing just that, would be less than ideal. Noticing her discomfort, Jack pressed a button on a small remote control and the ship became fully visible. <br/>  “Okay, you have an invisible spaceship.”<br/>  “Yeah.” <br/>Now feeling a lot safer, Rose took in the view from their great height, and found that they were next to a very familiar landmark. <br/>  “Tethered up to Big Ben for some reason.”<br/>Eris accepted a glass of champagne from Jack, closing her eyes and humming in appreciation as she took the first sip. It had been centuries since she’d had such high quality champagne. Next to her, Jack quickly schooled his face into an expression that hid his initial reaction to her response, before turning to Rose and switching on the charm once again. <br/>  “First rule of active camouflage. Park somewhere you'll remember.”</p><p>***</p><p>The Doctor had been following Nancy for the last fifteen minutes. It had been relatively easy to find her after she’d left the house, but staying undetected had been more of a challenge; the girl was very cautious, constantly looking over her shoulder to make sure she was alone. Nevertheless, he had managed to stay on her trail so far. He watched as she ducked into a small shack in the railway sidings, and decided that this would be the best moment to talk to her. She was crouched in the doorway of the hut, hiding food under a loose floorboard, so he waited for her to stand up before approaching her. <br/>  “Evening.”<br/>The poor girl practically jumped out of her skin. “How'd you follow me here?”<br/>  “I'm good at following. Got the nose for it.”<br/>  “People can't usually follow me if I don't want them to.” Her eyes were narrowed in distrust. <br/>He grinned. “My nose has special powers.”<br/>  “Yeah? That's why it's-” She stopped herself, smirking. Her implications were clear.<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “Nothing.”<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “Nothing. Do your ears have special powers too?”<br/>  “What are you trying to say?”<br/>  “Goodnight, Mister.”<br/>She started to walk away but the Doctor darted out in front of her, blocking her way. <br/>  “Nancy, there's something chasing you and the other kids. Looks like a boy and it isn't a boy, and it started about a month ago, right? The thing I'm looking for, the thing that fell from the sky, that's when it landed. And you know what I'm talking about, don't you?”<br/>Nancy was quiet for a moment, avoiding eye contact. <br/>  “There was a bomb. A bomb that wasn't a bomb. Fell at the other end of Limehouse Green Station.”<br/>  “Take me there.”<br/>  “There's soldiers guarding it. Barbed wire. You'll never get through.” <br/>  “Try me.”<br/>  “You sure you want to know what's going on in there?”<br/>  “I’m nosy.” The Doctor confessed. “I really want to know.”<br/>Nancy relented. “Then there's someone you need to talk to first.”<br/>  “And who might that be?”<br/>  “The Doctor.”</p><p>*** </p><p>The fact that Eris was sitting with her legs dangling over the side of Jack’s ship while it was parked almost a hundred metres above the streets of London made Rose very uneasy, especially as her friend had drunk three full glasses of champagne in a relatively short amount of time. On the contrary, Jack looked rather impressed. <br/>  “You alright over there?” <br/>  “Yep. Can I have a hand?” Eris tried to stand up again but couldn’t get her balance, and accepted Jack’s help. <br/>He smirked, unable to resist making the conversation a little more suggestive as he steadied her, an arm around her waist. <br/>  “You can have a little more than that if you ask nicely enough.”<br/>  “Oh, Captain. You’re going to have to try harder than that.” She stepped away and reached out to Rose, twirling her on the spot. <br/>Rose smiled at Jack once she’d stopped spinning, feeling slightly dizzy. “You know, it's getting a bit late. We should really be getting back.”<br/>  “We're discussing business.”<br/>  “This isn't business. This is champagne.”<br/>  “I try never to discuss business with a clear head. Now, are either of you authorised to negotiate with me?”<br/>Eris rested her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. “ And what would we be negotiating?”<br/>  “I have something for the Time Agency. Something they'd like to buy. Are you in power to make payment?”<br/>Stuttering a little, Rose tried to match Eris’ cool composure. “Well, I.. we should talk to my companion.”<br/>  “Companion?”<br/>  “We should really be getting back to him.”<br/>  “Him? Just how disappointed should I be?” <br/>Taking the champagne glasses from Rose and setting them down on the metal hull beneath them, Eris made clear to Jack the nature of their connection with the Doctor. <br/>  “Considering that our companion happens to be my father, and that Rose is a dear friend to us both, I don’t think you should be disappointed at all.” <br/>His eyes crinkled when he smiled, and it was rather endearing. “Good.”<br/>Regaining a little confidence, Rose piped up. “Anyway, we're standing in midair, on a spaceship, during a German air raid. Do you really think now's a good time to be coming on to me ?”<br/>  “Perhaps not. Do either of you like Glenn Miller?”</p><p>Pressing a different button on the remote he had used earlier, Jack offered an arm to both girls as Moonlight Serenade began to play through unseen speakers. Recalling how dizzy she’d felt when Eris spun her, Rose declined his offer, happy to listen and enjoy in a more stationary way. Eris accepted and let Jack slide an arm around her waist again, linking their free hands together and moving in a slow waltz. Jack began his business proposition. <br/>  “It's 1941, the height of the London Blitz, the height of the German bombing campaign, and something else has fallen on London. A fully equipped Chula warship. The last one in existence, armed to the teeth. And I know where it is, because I parked it. If the Agency can name the right price, I can get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb is going to fall on it and destroy it forever. That's your deadline. That's the deal. Now, shall we discuss payment?”<br/>Rose called over to him, bemused. “Do you know what I think?”<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “I think you were talking just then.”<br/>  “Two hours, the bomb falls. There'll be nothing left but dust and a crater.”<br/>  “Promises, promises.”<br/>He looked down at Eris, hoping that she had been paying attention. “Are you listening to any of this?”<br/>  “You used to be a Time Agent, now you're some kind of freelancer.” The brunette was frowning, deep in thought. <br/>  “Well, that's a little harsh. I like to think of myself as a criminal.” Emphasising his point, Jack tightened his grip on Eris and pulled her a little closer, relishing in the sweet shade of pink that crept up her cheeks. <br/>  “I bet you do.” She muttered. <br/>  “So, this companion of yours, does he handle the business?”<br/>Rose shrugged. “Well, I delegate a lot of that, yeah.”<br/>  “Well, maybe we should go find him.”<br/>  “And how're you going to do that?”<br/>Releasing Eris, Jack flipped up the leather cover of the device around his wrist and pressed a few buttons. “Easy. I'll do a scan for alien tech.”<br/>Making eye contact with Eris, Rose whispered. “Finally, a professional.”</p><p>***</p><p>Pressed up against the chain fence surrounding Limehouse Green Station, the Doctor squinted through a pair of modified binoculars at a large, tarpaulin covered mass on the ground that was surrounded by soldiers. Nancy looked like she would rather have been anywhere else. <br/>  “The bomb's under that tarpaulin. They put the fence up over night. See that building?” She pointed to an immense building opposite the station. “The hospital.”<br/>  “What about it?”<br/>  “That's where the doctor is. You should talk to him.”<br/>  “For now, I'm more interested in getting in there.” He nodded down at the bombsite. <br/>  “Talk to the doctor first.”<br/>  “Why?”<br/>Nancy shuddered. “Because then maybe you won't want to get inside. I’ve got to go.” <br/>  “Where are you going?”<br/>  “There was a lot of food in that house. I've got mouths to feed. Should be safe enough now.”<br/>Sad understanding settled on the Doctor’s face. <br/>  “Can I ask you a question?” She nodded. “Who did you lose?”<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “The way you look after all those kids. It's because you lost somebody, isn't it? You're doing all this to make up for it.”<br/>She was quiet for a moment, hugging herself. <br/>  “My little brother. Jamie. One night I went out looking for food. Same night that thing fell. I told him not to follow me, I told him it was dangerous, but he just… he just didn't like being on his own.” <br/>  “What happened?”<br/>There was no mirth in Nancy’s laugh. “In the middle of an air raid? What do you think happened?”<br/>  “Amazing.”<br/>  “What is?”<br/>The Doctor gestured around them. “1941. Right now, not very far from here, the German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it. Nothing. Until one, tiny, damp little island says no. No. Not here. A mouse in front of a lion. You're amazing, the lot of you. Don't know what you do to Hitler, but you frighten the hell out of me. Off you go then do what you've got to do. Save the world.”<br/>Sharing a smile, the two went their separate ways. </p><p>Reaching the ornate metal gates to the hospital grounds, the Doctor opened the padlock using the sonic screwdriver and quietly made his way into the entrance hall of the building. His eyes quickly adjusted to the dim hallways, and he listened intently for signs of activity - but the place seemed deserted. A little unnerved by the total silence, the Doctor opened the first door he came to and stepped into the ward. The door closed with a thud behind him, but he was too distracted by the patients to notice. </p><p>There must have been thirty or forty patients in the ward - and they were all in the same condition. Each and every one of them was laying on their back, facing the ceiling, wearing a gas mask. The patients were dressed in a wide variety of clothing; he could see army and medical uniforms in between hospital gowns and civilian outfits. He moved to approach one of the patients closest to the door, sonic screwdriver in hand, but a voice from the shadows caught his attention. <br/>  “You'll find them everywhere. In every bed, in every ward. Hundreds of them.” The man was obviously a Doctor, judging by his uniform. He was older, walked with a cane, and sounded particularly irritable. <br/>  “Yes, I saw. Why are they still wearing gas masks?”<br/>  “They're not. Who are you?”<br/>  “I'm, er… are you the doctor?”<br/>  “Doctor Constantine. And you are?”<br/>The Doctor dodged the question. “Nancy sent me.”<br/>  “Nancy? That means you must've been asking about the bomb.”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “What do you know about it?”<br/>  “Nothing, that’s why I was asking. What do you know?”<br/>  “Only what it's done.”<br/>Frowning, the Doctor looked around the room again. “These people, they were all caught up in the blast?”<br/>Doctor Constantine smiled grimly. “None of them were.” His chuckle descended into a cough and he slumped into a chair next to the desk in the centre of the room, waving off the Doctor’s offer of help. <br/>  “You're very sick.”<br/>  “Dying, I should think. I just haven't been able to find the time. Are you a doctor?”<br/>  “I have my moments.” He tapped the sonic screwdriver against the palm of his hand. <br/>  “Have you examined any of them yet?”<br/>  “No.”<br/>  “Don't touch the flesh.”<br/>  “Which one?”<br/>Constantine smiled coldly. “Any one.”</p><p>Directing the sonic at the nearest patient - a blonde woman in a nurse's uniform - the Doctor scanned the length of her body and examined the results. <br/>  “Conclusions?”<br/>  “Massive head trauma, mostly to the left side. Partial collapse of the chest cavity, mostly to the right. There's some scarring on the back of the hand and the gas mask seems to be fused to the flesh, but I can't see any burns.”<br/>  “Examine another one.”<br/>He did so, and pulled a face. <br/>  “This isn't possible.”<br/>  “Examine another.”<br/>Just to be certain, he scanned a third patient, face creasing into a deep frown.<br/>  “This isn't possible. They've all got the same injuries.”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “Exactly the same!”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “Identical, all of them, right down to the scar on the back of the hand. How did this happen? How did it start?” The Doctor whirled round to face Constantine, not noticing that he had the same scar as his patients. <br/>  “When that bomb dropped, there was just one victim.”<br/>  “Dead?”<br/>Constantine sighed. “At first. His injuries were truly dreadful. By the following morning, every doctor and nurse who had treated him, who had touched him, had those exact same injuries. By the morning after that, every patient in the same ward, the exact same injuries. Within a week, the entire hospital. Physical injuries as plague. Can you explain that? What would you say was the cause of death?”<br/>  “The head trauma.”<br/>  “No.”<br/>  “Asphyxiation.”<br/>  “No.”<br/>  “The collapse of the chest cavity.”<br/>  “No.”<br/>Giving up, the Doctor threw his hands in the air. “Alright. What was the cause of death?”<br/>  “There wasn't one. They're not dead.”</p><p>Using his walking stick, Constantine struck a metal bin next to his chair. The clang that resounded from it woke the patients and they bolted upright, sitting stiffly in their beds, staring ahead of them. The Doctor jumped slightly. <br/>  “It's all right. They're harmless. They just sort of sit there. No heartbeat, no life signs of any kind. They just don't die.”<br/>  “And they've just been left here? Nobody's doing anything?”<br/>Around them, the patients returned to their original positions. <br/>  “I try to make them comfortable. What else is there?”<br/>  “Just you? You're the only one here?”<br/>Constantine sat up a little straighter in his chair. “Before this war began, I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither. But I'm still a doctor.”<br/>The Doctor’s hearts zinged painfully as the other man’s statements resonated so closely with his own experiences. “Yeah. I know the feeling.”<br/>  “I suspect the plan is to blow up the hospital and blame it on a German bomb.”<br/>  “Probably too late for that.”<br/>  “Indeed. There are isolated cases… isolated cases breaking out all over London.” Constantine coughed painfully, hunching over. The Doctor frowned and stepped forward to help him, but he was rebuffed. “Stay back! Stay back! Listen to me. Top floor. Room 802. That's where they took the first victim, the one from the crash site. And you must find Nancy again.” His voice was strained, like he was trying to speak around something. <br/>  “Nancy?”<br/>  “It was her brother. She knows more than she's saying. She won't tell me, but she might… tell… Mummy. Are you my mummy?”<br/>And Constantine’s face was changing too; as his words fell into the same pattern as the unfortunate young boy the Doctor had met earlier, his mouth and eyes widened, his skin darkening. The metal mouthpiece of a gas mask emerged from his mouth and projected forwards as his jaws elongated, creating the gas mask’s unmistakable shape. Constantine’s pupils appeared to occlude the whites of his eyes and continued growing, developing a thin ring of metal around the circumference and forming the eyepieces. Once the process had stopped, the gas mask looked as though it had been melted onto Constantine’s head, and the man slumped forwards, falling still. The Doctor was rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do next or where to look for Nancy. His plans were decided for him, however, by the sound of two very familiar voices from the hallway. </p><p>  “Hello?”<br/>  “Hello?”<br/>Bursting into the corridor, the Doctor came face to face with Eris, Rose, and a handsome stranger. His daughter waved at him, before the man stepped forwards and shook his hand <br/>enthusiastically. <br/>  “Good evening. Hope we're not interrupting. Jack Harkness. I've been hearing all about you on the way over.”<br/>Rose called over Jack’s shoulder. “He knows. I had to tell him about us being Time Agents.”<br/>  “And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Mister Spock.” <br/>With that brief introduction, Jack swept past the confused Time Lord and entered the ward that the Doctor had just left. <br/>  “Mister Spock?”<br/>Rose shrugged defensively. “What was I supposed to say? You don't have a name. Don't you ever get tired of Doctor? Doctor who?”<br/>  “Nine centuries in, I'm coping. Where've you been? We're in the middle of a London Blitz. It's not a good time for a stroll.”<br/>Eris rolled her eyes. “Strolling is for ordinary people. I think you’ll find that a barrage balloon is far more our style. It’s certainly an entertaining way to see an air raid.”<br/>  “What?!” The Doctor pulled both girls in front of him and looked them over. “Are you alright?” <br/>  “We would have been much worse off without Jack.” <br/>Thinking back to their earlier conversation with the American, Rose asked, “Listen, what's a Chula warship?”<br/>The Doctor frowned. “Chula?”</p><p>As they re-entered the ward, they watched Jack frantically moving between patients, scanning them using his wrist device and coming to the same conclusion that the Doctor had. <br/>  “This just isn't possible. How did this happen?”<br/>  “What kind of Chula ship landed here?” The Doctor crossed his arms, glaring slightly. <br/>  “What?”<br/>Rose parroted back the information Jack had given them earlier while he was trying to make the sale. “He said it was a warship. He stole it, parked it somewhere out there, somewhere a bomb's going to fall on it unless we make him an offer.”<br/>  “What kind of warship?”<br/>Jack looked uncomfortable. “Does it matter? It's got nothing to do with this.”<br/>  “This started at the bomb site. It's got everything to do with it. What kind of warship?”<br/>  “An ambulance! Look.”<br/>Stabbing at the device on his wrist, Jack pulled up a hologram of the thing they had been following. <br/>  “That's what you chased through the Time Vortex. It's space junk. I wanted to kid you it was valuable. It's empty. I made sure of it. Nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle, love the retro look, by the way, nice panels. Threw you the bait.”<br/>Rose was confused. “Bait?”<br/>  “I wanted to sell it to you and then destroy it before you found out it was junk.”<br/>  “You said it was a war ship.”<br/>  “They have ambulances in wars. It was a con. I was conning you. That's what I am, I'm a con man. I thought you were Time Agents. You're not, are you?” <br/>  “Just a couple more freelancers.” She grinned. <br/>Jack groaned. “Oh. Should have known. The way you guys are blending in with the local colour. I mean, Flag Girl was bad enough, but U-Boat Captain? Eris does a decent job with the look but she opens her mouth and you know something isn’t right. Time Agents are trained to assimilate with local culture, and you definitely don’t. Anyway, whatever's happening here has got nothing to do with that ship.”<br/>  “What is happening here, Doctor?”<br/>The Doctor’s expression was steely. “Human DNA is being rewritten by an idiot.”<br/>  “What do you mean?”<br/>  “I don't know. Some kind of virus converting human beings into these things. But why? What's the point?”</p><p>Suddenly, every patient around them sat up in unison, their voices blending into a discordant chant. <br/>  “Mummy? Mummy? Mummy? Mummy?”<br/>  “What's happening?” Rose tensed, ready to run but not seeing a clear route out of the room. <br/>  “I don't know.” As the patients and Doctor Constantine stood and approached them, the Doctor backed his companions into the wall and stood in front of them, shielding them. <br/>  “Don't let them touch you.”<br/>  “What happens if they touch us?” Eris moved forwards to give Rose and Jack a further layer of shielding, confident that she would be able to fight off whatever it was that was causing the changes. <br/>  “You're looking at it.”<br/>The patients were closing in; one stumbled over the leg of a bed and fell forwards, clutching at Eris’ exposed forearm before hitting the floor. Jack and Rose watched, horrified, as the back of Eris’ hand was sliced open and scarred over to match the patients. The Doctor was frantic as she clawed at her throat, clearly struggling to breathe, and dropped to her knees. Rose reached out instinctively to help her, but the Doctor grabbed her hand before she could do so and get infected too. The brunette’s pained wheezing was drowned out by the volume of the patients. </p><p>  “Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy? Mummy? Mummy? Mummy?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Doctor Dances</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Go to your room!”<br/>Jack and Rose stared at the Doctor in disbelief as he squared up to the horde of patients in front of them, sounding every bit the angry parent. The patients stopped, heads tilted to one side in confusion. <br/>  “Go to your room. I mean it. I'm very, very angry with you. I am very, very cross. Now, go to your room!”<br/>Hanging their heads in apparent shame, the patients turned and shuffled away from the little group, clambering sulkily back into their beds and laying still once again. <br/>  “I'm really glad that worked. Those would have been terrible last words.” <br/>He crouched next to Eris, who was still on her knees wheezing, being careful not to touch her. As he did so, her breathing evened out and became less laboured; the scar on the back of her hand faded and vanished, leaving the skin smooth and unblemished again. Sitting properly on the floor, she brushed her hair away from her face, grimacing at how sweaty the experience had left her. <br/>  “I’m ok.” Eris sighed. <br/>The Doctor whipped the sonic screwdriver out and scanned her quickly, just to make sure it was safe for her to be touched, before pulling her into a fierce hug. <br/>  “You need to be more careful!”<br/>  “Dad, I’m fine. Really. Let’s just get out of here, ok?” <br/>Jack gazed at Eris in shock as she stood, brushing dust off her skirt. <br/>  “How the hell did you do that?” <br/>She grinned.<br/>  “Honestly? No idea. But I’m not exactly complaining.” </p><p>Rose frowned at the patients in the beds surrounding them. <br/>  “Why are they all wearing gas masks?”<br/>Jack checked the readout on his wrist device. “They're not. Those masks are flesh and bone.”<br/>  “How was your con supposed to work?” The Doctor, still keeping an arm around his daughter, glared at the handsome freelancer.<br/>  “Simple enough, really. Find some harmless piece of space junk, let the nearest Time Agent track it back to Earth, convince him it's valuable, name a price. When he's put fifty percent up front, oops! A German bomb falls on it, destroys it forever. He never gets to see what he's paid for, never knows he's been had. I buy him a drink with his own money, and we discuss dumb luck. The perfect self-cleaning con.”<br/>  “Yeah. Perfect.”<br/>  “The London Blitz is great for self-cleaners. Pompeii's nice if you want to make a vacation of it though, but you've got to set your alarm for volcano day.” Jack laughed, clearly enjoying his own sense of humour. Looking around at the others, his mood soured a little at the lack of amusement they expressed. “Getting a hint of disapproval.”<br/>  “Take a look around the room. This is what your harmless piece of space-junk did.”<br/>  “It was a burnt-out medical transporter. It was empty.”<br/>  “Rose.”<br/>Yawning slightly, Rose looked hopeful. “Are we getting out of here?”<br/>  “We're going upstairs.” <br/>Both girls pulled a face; they weren’t exactly excited by the idea of staying in the hospital any longer. Jack was still trying to come up with an explanation that would shift the blame from him. <br/>  “I even programmed the flight computer so it wouldn't land on anything living. I harmed no-one. I don't know what's happening here, but believe me, I had nothing to do with it.”<br/>  “I'll tell you what's happening. You forgot to set your alarm clock. It's volcano day.” The Doctor spat. Eris moved between them to try and diffuse the tension, but the sound of a loud siren from somewhere outside the building stopped the conversation. <br/>  “What's that?”<br/>Jack seemed relieved. “The all-clear.”<br/>The Doctor was less optimistic, “I wish.” and turned on his heel and strode out of the ward, leaving the others to follow him. </p><p> </p><p>  “Mister Spock?”<br/>  “Doctor?”<br/>In the seconds that it had taken Jack and the girls to follow the Doctor, he had managed to vanish from sight completely. The trio stopped where three corridors intersected, unsure of which one to follow. They had been debating whether to split up or not when the Doctor’s voice drifted faintly down the staircase behind them. <br/>  “Jack, have you got a blaster?”<br/>  “Sure!”<br/>They ran up to join him where he was waiting outside a secure metal door labelled 802. <br/>  “The night your space-junk landed, someone was hurt. This was where they were taken.”<br/>Rose looked apprehensively at the door, not entirely sure that she wanted to know what was behind it. “What happened?”<br/>  “Let's find out. Get it open.” The Doctor gestured for Jack to blast the door, stepping out of his way. <br/>  “What's wrong with your sonic screwdriver?” Rose whispered. <br/>  “Nothing.”<br/>They watched, impressed, as Jack used the blaster to disintegrate the lock. <br/>  “Sonic blaster, 51st century. Weapon Factories of Villengard?”<br/>Jack was surprised. “You've been to the factories?”<br/>  “Once.”<br/>  “Well, they’re gone now, destroyed. The main reactor went critical. Vaporized the lot.”<br/>Eris smirked. “Like he said. Once. I can’t remember what took its place.”<br/>The Doctor grinned. “There's a banana grove there, now. I like bananas. Bananas are good.”<br/>He and Eris entered the room. Rose complimented Jack on his blaster.  <br/>  “Nice blast pattern.”<br/>  “Digital.”<br/>  “Squareness gun.”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>  “I like it.”<br/>The whole interaction was slightly awkward, and they followed the others into the next room in silence. </p><p>Clearly, something serious had occurred in this room. It looked like it had been turned completely upside down and ransacked. Large filing cabinets had been hurled to the floor amidst tangles of broken electronic equipment and rubble. An observation window that had originally bisected the room had been shattered, and glass fragments crunched underfoot. <br/>  “What do you think?” The Doctor glanced at Jack, who looked deeply concerned. <br/>  “Something got out of here.” <br/>  “Yeah. And?”<br/>  “Something powerful. Angry.”<br/>  “Powerful and angry.” <br/>They moved into the second half of the room. Here, the walls were covered with crude crayon drawings of disproportionate stick figures, and a fuzzy brown teddy bear lay on the floor in the middle of the area. <br/>Jack raised an eyebrow. “A child? I suppose this explains Mummy.”<br/>Rose gasped. “How could a child do this?”<br/>Reaching carefully through the space where the observation window had been, Eris switched on the tape machine, hoping it was still functioning. Doctor Constantine’s voice crackled through the speaker grille. <br/>  “Do you know where you are?”<br/>A young boy’s voice responded. “Are you my mummy?”<br/>  “Are you aware of what's around you? Can you see?”<br/>  “Are you my mummy?”<br/>  “What do you want? Do you know-”<br/>  “I want my mummy. Are you my mummy? I want my mummy! Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy?”<br/>Eris looked uncomfortable. “I've heard this voice before.”<br/>  “Me too.” Rose and the Doctor answered simultaneously. <br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>  “Always are you my mummy?. Like he doesn't know. Why doesn't he know?” Rose sounded close to tears. <br/>  “Mummy? Are you there, mummy? Mummy? Mummy? Please, mummy? Mummy?” </p><p>Rose watched as Eris and the Doctor stood in the centre of the space, both wearing identical expressions of discomfort. <br/>  “Doctor?”<br/>  “Can you sense it?” He started to pace back and forth. <br/>Jack looked around the whole room, searching for whatever it was that the Doctor was picking up on. “Sense what?”<br/>The room was warm, but Eris’ arms were covered in goosebumps as she spoke in hushed tones, visibly tense. “It’s coming out of the walls. Can you feel it?”<br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>The Doctor scoffed. “Funny little human brains. How do you get around in those things?”<br/>Jack turned to Rose, confused. “What’s he talking about?” <br/>  “When he's stressed, he likes to insult species.” She shrugged, having heard this whole spiel a fair few times before. <br/>  “Rose, I'm thinking.”<br/>  “He cuts himself shaving, he does half an hour on life forms he's cleverer than.”<br/>  “There are these children living rough round the bomb sites. They come out during air-raids looking for food.”<br/>They could still hear the voice of the child on the tape. “Mummy, please?”<br/>  “Suppose they were there when this thing, whatever it was, landed?”<br/>Jack shook his head at what the Doctor was implying. “It was a med-ship. It was harmless.”<br/>  “Yes, you keep saying it was harmless. Suppose one of them was affected, altered?”<br/>  “Altered how?”<br/>An odd tapping, clicking noise started up in the background, but they ignored it in favour of listening to the Doctor. <br/>  “The child’s afraid. Terribly afraid and powerful. It doesn't know it yet, but it will do. It's got the power of a god, and I just sent it to it's room.”<br/>  “I'm here!”<br/>Eris’ eyes widened slightly and she stiffened. “Dad.”<br/>  “I'm here. Can't you see me?”<br/>  “Dad!”<br/>The Doctor stopped pacing, working out the source of the noise. “That’s the end of the tape. It ran out about thirty seconds ago.”<br/>  “I'm here, now. Can't you see me?”<br/>  “I sent it to its room. This is its room.”<br/>Slowly, the four of them turned to face the entrance to the room. The child was standing by the tape desk. <br/>  “Are you my mummy? Mummy?”<br/>Jack dropped a hand to his holster, ready to use his blaster. <br/>  “Okay, on my signal, head for the door.”<br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>  “Now!” He roared, tugging what he thought was the blaster upwards and aiming his hand at the child. But he wasn’t holding the weapon. Instead, it was a banana. <br/>  “Mummy?” <br/>Eris threw the blaster to the Doctor, who aimed it at the wall and fired, creating a square hole in the wall to the right of them. <br/>  “Go now! Don't drop the banana!”<br/>  “Why not?!”<br/>  “Good source of potassium!”<br/>Clambering through the hole, they left the child standing in the room, hoping it wouldn’t try to follow them. </p><p>Jack snatched his blaster back from the Doctor and repaired the hole in the wall.<br/>  “Digital rewind. Nice switch.”<br/>Eris looked pleased at the compliment. <br/>  “Pickpocketing is fun. Anyway, the banana was Dad’s idea.” <br/>The Doctor grinned. “It's from the groves of Villengard. I thought it was appropriate.”<br/>Jack laughed. “There's really a banana grove in the heart of Villengard and you did that?”<br/>  “Bananas are good.”<br/>In front of them, the wall began to crack as the child threw its body weight against it. As they moved to run down the hallway to their left, a group of patients double the size of the group they had faced in the ward earlier approached them. Turning to check the other end of the corridor revealed a similar sized group, pinning them in the middle of the hallway directly in front of the cracking wall. <br/>  “Mummy. Mummy. Mummy.”<br/>  “It's keeping us here until it can get at us.” The Doctor glanced out of the window, groaning when he realised that the drop would do too much damage to the others for it to be a viable escape route. <br/>  “It's controlling them?” Jack tightened his grip on the blaster. <br/>  “It is them. It's every living thing in this hospital.”<br/>  “Okay. This can function as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon, and as a triple-enfolded sonic disrupter. Doc, what you got?”<br/>  “I've got a sonic, er… oh, never mind.”<br/>Had it happened at any other time, Eris would have burst out laughing at the slight embarrassment on her dad’s face. <br/>Jack wasn’t happy with that answer. “What?”<br/>  “It's sonic, okay? Let's leave it at that.”<br/>  “Disrupter? Cannon? What?”<br/>  “It's sonic! Totally sonic! I am soniced up!”<br/>  “A sonic what?!”<br/>  “Screwdriver!”<br/>As Jack gaped at the Doctor, the child broke through the wall and Rose took control, grabbing the blaster, pointing it down and firing, disintegrating the patch of floor below them and sending them crashing through to the floor below. They landed in a heap, tangled together. </p><p>Jack took the blaster back and repaired the ceiling and they relaxed, feeling safe for the moment in the dark. <br/>  “Doctor, are you okay?” Rose looked over at the alien, who was rubbing at his knee where it had collided with the floor. <br/>  “Could've used a warning.” He grumbled. <br/>  “Oh, the gratitude.”<br/>Jack sat up properly, pulling a face at the Doctor and continuing their argument from before the fall. “Who has a sonic screwdriver?”<br/>  “I do.”<br/>The girls exchanged a look, bored of the testosterone-fuelled one upmanship going on. <br/>  “Who looks at a screwdriver and thinks, ooo, this could be a little more sonic?”<br/>  “What, you've never been bored?Never had a long night? Never had a lot of cabinets to put up?”<br/>Rose squinted in the darkness, trying to make out the features of the room they were in.<br/>  “There's got to be a light switch somewhere.”<br/>The whir of the sonic screwdriver was followed by the lights switching on - and Rose wished they had stayed in the dark. They were in another hospital ward, full of the masked patients. And now, these patients were waking up. <br/>  “Mummy. Mummy.” <br/>Jack aimed the blaster at a nearby door, swearing when all it produced was a sad sounding low whine. “Damn it! It's the special features. They really drain the battery.” <br/>  “The battery?” Rose scoffed incredulously. “That's so lame!”<br/>The Doctor led them to the door and opened it with the sonic, ushering the others into the storeroom beyond. Maybe calling it a room was a bit generous - Rose was sure she had been in cupboards that were larger. He darted into the room, and shut and locked the door behind him. <br/>  “I was going to send for another one, but somebody's got to blow up the factory.”<br/>  “Oh, I know. First day I met him, he blew my job up. That's practically how he communicates.”<br/>Patting the door, the Doctor interrupted. “Okay, that door should hold it for a bit.”<br/>Jack shouted. “The door? The wall didn't stop it!”<br/>  “Well, it's got to find us first! Come on, we're not done yet! Assets, assets!”<br/>  “Well, I've got a banana, and in a pinch you could put up some shelves.”<br/>  “Window.”<br/>  “Barred. Sheer drop outside. Seven stories. And no other exits. Well, the assets conversation went in a flash, didn't it?”<br/>The Doctor shot a look at Eris. “So, where'd you pick this one up, then?”<br/>  “They were hanging from a barrage balloon, I had an invisible spaceship. I never stood a chance.”<br/>  “Okay. One, we've got to get out of here. Two, we can't get out of here. Have I missed anything?”<br/>Rose tugged at the Doctor’s sleeve, pointing out the obvious. “Yeah. Jack just disappeared.” And sure enough, the Doctor and the girls were the only people in the room. </p><p>  “Okay, so he's vanished into thin air. Why is it always the great looking ones who do that?” Rose whined, getting a laugh out of Eris. Funnily enough, the Doctor didn’t seem to appreciate the comment. <br/>  “I'm making an effort not to be insulted.”<br/>  “I mean, men.”<br/>  “Okay, thanks, that really helped.”<br/>As the Doctor set to work using the sonic on the window bars, the radio buzzed into life behind them. <br/>  “Rose? Doctor? Eris? Can you hear me? I'm back on my ship. Used the emergency teleport. Sorry I couldn't take you, but it's security-keyed to my molecular structure. I'm working on it. Hang in there.”<br/>The Doctor frowned. “How're you speaking to us?”<br/>  “Om-Com. I can call anything with a speaker grill.”<br/>  “Now there's a coincidence.”<br/>From a wheelchair near the radio, Rose joined the conversation. “What is?”<br/>  “The child can Om-Com, too.”<br/>  “He can?”<br/>  “Anything with a speaker grill. Even the Tardis phone.”<br/>  “What, you mean the child can phone us?”<br/>On cue, a familiar singsong voice projected over the radio. <br/>  “And I can hear you. Coming to find you. Coming to find you. Coming to find you, mummy.”<br/>Eris stepped away from the radio as Jack’s voice overlapped with the child’s. <br/>  “Doctor, can you hear that?”<br/>  “Loud and clear.”<br/>  “I'll try to block out the signal. Least I can do. Remember this one, Eris?”<br/>The familiar notes of Moonlight Serenade drowned out the child’s voice, and the Doctor looked questioningly at his daughter. Eris was pink in the face.<br/>  “We danced to this on top of his ship.” <br/>The Doctor raised an eyebrow and Eris whirled around on the spot, offering a hand to Rose. <br/>  “Fancy a dance?” <br/>Shaking his head, the Doctor turned back to the window as the girls danced together. </p><p>  “What are you doing?” Rose asked over Eris’ shoulder. <br/>  “Trying to set up a resonation pattern in the concrete, loosen the bars.”<br/>  “You don't think he's coming back, do you?”<br/>  “Wouldn't bet my life.” The Doctor snorted. <br/>  “Why don't you trust him?”<br/>  “Why do you?”<br/>Rose rolled her eyes, breaking her hold with Eris to cross her arms. <br/>  “He saved my life. Bloke-wise, that's up there with flossing. I trust him because he's like you. Except with dating and dancing.” The Doctor looked offended. “What?”<br/>  “You just assume I'm…” His sentence trailed off.<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “You just assume that I don't dance.”<br/>  “What, are you telling me you do dance?”<br/>  “Nine hundred years old, me. I've been around a bit. I think you can assume at some point I've danced.” <br/>Eris threw herself into the wheelchair by the radio, watching the interaction with a mixture of amusement and disgust. <br/>Rose bit back a laugh. “You?”<br/>  “Problem?”<br/>  “Doesn't the universe implode or something if you dance?”<br/>  “Well, I've got the moves but I wouldn't want to boast.” He shrugged. <br/>Rose reached over and turned up the radio’s volume, holding a hand out to the Doctor. <br/>  “You've got the moves? Show me your moves.”<br/>He looked slightly uncomfortable. “Rose, I'm trying to resonate concrete.”<br/>  “Jack will be back. He'll get us out. So come on. The world doesn't end because the Doctor dances.”<br/>The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the sight of her hands and moved towards her, holding her wrists so her palms were facing upwards. <br/>  “Barrage balloon?”<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “You were hanging from a barrage balloon.”<br/>Rose didn’t see his point. “Oh, yeah. About two minutes after you left us. Thousands of feet above London, middle of a German air-raid, Union Jack all over my chest.”<br/>  “I’m not sure whether Eris is a bad influence on you, or if it’s the other way around, but I’m pretty sure you’re setting a new record for being jeopardy friendly.” <br/>  “Is this you dancing? Because I've got notes.”<br/>  “Hanging from a rope thousands feet above London. Not a cut, not a bruise.”<br/>  “Yeah, I know. Captain Jack fixed me up.” <br/>  “Oh, we're calling him Captain Jack now, are we?”<br/>  “Well, his name's Jack and he's a Captain. And Eris has been calling him Captain since we met him!” <br/>Eris went bright red under her father’s gaze once again, and spoke up defensively. <br/>  “What? That’s how he introduced himself!” <br/>  “He's not really a Captain, Eris.”<br/>  “And you’re not really a Doctor but you still get people to call you that!” <br/>Rose butted in, not wanting to get caught up in the middle of yet another bickering match.<br/>  “Do you know what I think? I think you're experiencing Captain envy. You'll find your feet at the end of your legs. You may care to move them.”<br/>The Doctor sneered. “If ever he was a Captain, he's been defrocked.”<br/>  “Yeah? Shame I missed that.”</p><p>Neither Rose nor the Doctor seemed to notice their change in location, as the walls of the storeroom were replaced by the wire-covered interior of Jack’s spaceship. Eris grinned at him and stood, walking unseen past her friends to join him. They stood quietly for another minute or so, before Jack intruded on their moment. <br/>  “Actually, I quit. Nobody takes my frock. Most people notice when they've been teleported. You guys are so sweet. Sorry about the delay. I had to take the nav-com offline to override the teleport security.”<br/>The Doctor looked around him. “You can spend ten minutes overriding your own protocols? Maybe you should remember whose ship it is.”<br/>  “Oh, I do. She was gorgeous. Like I told her, be back in five minutes.”<br/>As Jack moved into the back section of the ship, the Doctor realised exactly where he was standing. “This is a Chula ship.”<br/>  “Yeah, just like that medical transporter. Only this one is dangerous.”<br/>Snapping his fingers, the Doctor watched impassively as a golden glow enveloped his hands. This was a familiar site to Rose. “They're what fixed my hands up Jack called them er-”<br/>  “Nanobots? Nanogenes.”<br/>  “Nanogenes, yeah.”<br/>  “Sub-atomic robots. There's millions of them in here, see? Burned my hand on the console when we landed. All better now. They activate when the bulk head's sealed. Check you out for damage, fix any physical flaws.” Jack returned, and the Doctor started giving orders. “Take us to the crash site. I need to see your space junk.”<br/>Jack agreed. “As soon as I get the nav-com back online. Make yourself comfortable. Carry on with whatever it was you were doing.”<br/>  “We were talking about dancing.”<br/>  “It didn't look like talking.”<br/>  “It didn't feel like dancing.” Rose murmured. </p><p>Jack had been fiddling with a variety of switches and buttons for about five minutes when Rose approached him, curious. <br/>  “So, you used to be a Time Agent now you're trying to con them?”<br/>  “If it makes me sound any better, it's not for the money.”<br/>Eris joined them, leaning against the side of Jack’s chair. <br/>  “For what?”<br/>Jack smiled sadly. “Woke up one day when I was still working for them, found they'd stolen two years of my memories. I'd like them back.<br/>Rose stared. “They stole your memories?”<br/>  “Two years of my life. No idea what I did. Your friend over there doesn't trust me, and for all I know he's right not to.” <br/>Eris rested a comforting hand on Jack’s shoulder and he covered it with his own, squeezing it in thanks before flicking the final switch, reinstating the nav-com system. <br/>  “Okay, we're good to go. Crash site?”</p><p>Presently, they were back on real ground at Limehouse Green station, approaching the space junk that had caused so much damage. They moved cautiously, letting Jack take the lead; his uniform was a good enough reason for anyone to let them pass by unquestioned. Stopping behind some storage bins next to a large shed, Jack spotted someone he recognised guarding the site. <br/>  “There it is. Hey, they've got Algy on duty. It must be important.”<br/>The Doctor didn’t particularly care whether Jack knew the guard or not. <br/>  “We've got to get past him.”<br/>  “Are the words ‘distract the guard’ heading in my general direction?” Rose rubbed her hands together and stepped forwards, but was blocked by Jack.<br/>  “I don't think that'd be such a good idea.”<br/>  “Don't worry I can handle it.”<br/>A wry smile crossed his face. “I've got to know Algy quite well since I've been in town. Trust me, you're not his type. I'll distract him. Don't wait up.” And he set off, squaring his shoulders and adjusting his cap so it sat neatly on his head. Picking up on what Jack had been implying, Eris and the Doctor smirked; Rose’s expression was a mixture of confusion and concern. <br/>  “Relax, he's a fifty first century guy. He's just a bit more flexible when it comes to dancing.” The suggestiveness in the Doctor’s voice made Rose’s head turn so fast that Eris was surprised she hadn’t given herself whiplash. <br/>  “How flexible?”<br/>  “Well, by his time, you lot have spread out across half the galaxy.”<br/>  “Meaning?”<br/>  “So many species, so little time.” The Doctor’s smirk broke and widened into a grin. <br/>A look of understanding settled on Rose’s face, mixed with mild disgust. <br/>  “What, that's what we do when we get out there? That's our mission? We seek new life, and, and-”<br/>  “Dance.” Eris wiggled her eyebrows, beaming. <br/>The mood soured significantly when Jack yelled in surprise and they looked over to see Algy on his knees, his face developing into a gas mask as they watched. Running forwards from their hiding space, Rose and the Doctor warned the other soldiers away while Eris pulled Jack away from the thing that had once been his friend. <br/>  “The effect has become air-borne, it's accelerating.” The Doctor confirmed his suspicions with a buzz of the sonic screwdriver, and things went from bad to worse when the air raid sirens started up again in the background. <br/>  “What's keeping us safe?” Rose looked alarmed. <br/>  “Nothing.”<br/>Jack swore as the thudding explosion of a bomb sounded relatively close to them.<br/>  “Ah, here they come again.”<br/>Eris groaned. “Well, that’s all we need. Didn't you say a bomb was going to land here?”<br/>The Doctor shook his head. <br/>  “Never mind about that. If the contaminants are airborne now, there's hours left.”<br/>  “For what?”<br/>  “Till nothing, forever. For the entire human race. And can anyone else hear singing?”<br/>They listened, and they could; somewhere close, a trembling voice sang a familiar lullaby. </p><p>  “Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree tops. When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. Down will come baby, cradle and all.” <br/>Opening the door of the shed the voice was coming from, the Doctor was a little surprised to see Nancy sitting there, handcuffed to the leg of a table, opposite one of the gas mask creatures. It was asleep, or unconscious, and Nancy was clearly trying very hard to keep it that way. She looked up when the Doctor entered, and nodded when he gestured for her to continue singing. <br/>  “Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree tops. When the wind blows the cradle will rock.”<br/>Approaching slowly, the Doctor freed her from the handcuffs and directed her out of the shed, looking over his shoulder to make sure the thing they were leaving behind wasn’t waking up. </p><p>They joined the others where they were standing by the space junk, and Jack whipped the tarpaulin away with a flourish, revealing a large cylindrical object with a technology panel on the side. <br/>  “You see? Just an ambulance.”<br/>Nancy stared at the thing, incredulous. “That's an ambulance?”<br/>Rose put an arm around the girl’s shoulders, understanding just how overwhelming this must be to her. “It's hard to explain. It's from another world.”<br/>Jack examined a collection of fresh-looking scratches in the dull metal.<br/>  “They've been trying to get in.”<br/>The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Of course they have. They think they've got their hands on Hitler's latest secret weapon. What're you doing?”<br/>Jack was keying in a set of access codes. <br/>  “The sooner you see this thing is empty, the sooner you'll know I had nothing to do with it.”<br/>Bang! And an alarm started up, accompanied by a flashing red light on the access panel and a burst of sparks. <br/>  “That didn't happen last time.”<br/>  “It hadn't crashed last time. There'll be emergency protocols.”<br/>The alarm continued to wail, and Rose winced.<br/>  “Doctor, what is that?”<br/>The sound of the gates between the hospital and the train station being slammed into added to the din, and Eris grabbed Jack’s arm to get his attention. <br/>  “Captain, secure those gates!”<br/>Her tone startled him. “Why?”<br/>  “Just do it! Nancy, how did you get in here?”<br/>  “I cut the wire.”<br/>The Doctor chucked the sonic screwdriver at Rose, pointing towards the border fence. <br/>  “Show Rose. Setting two thousand four hundred and twenty eight D.”<br/>  “What?” Rose fumbled slightly before catching the screwdriver securely. <br/>  “Reattaches barbed wire. Go!”</p><p>Nancy took Rose to the gap she’d made in the fence and watched, awestruck, as Rose repaired the barbed wire with the click of a button. <br/>  “Who are you? Who are any of you?”<br/>Rose smiled sympathetically. “You'd never believe me if I told you.”<br/>  “You just told me that thing was an ambulance from another world. There are people running around with gas mask heads calling for their mummies, and the sky's full of Germans dropping bombs on me. Tell me, do you think there's anything left I couldn't believe?”<br/>  “We're time travellers from the future.”<br/>Nancy laughed. “Mad, you are.”<br/>  “We have a time travel machine. seriously!”<br/>  “It's not that. All right, you've got a time travel machine. I believe you. Believe anything, me. But what future?” She hugged herself, looking up at the planes swooping overhead. <br/>  “Nancy, this isn't the end. I know how it looks, but it's not the end of the world or anything.”<br/>  “How can you say that? Look at it!”<br/>  “Listen to me. I was born in this city. I'm from here, in like, fifty years time.” Rose stood, resting her hands on the shorter girl’s shoulders. <br/>  “From here?”<br/>  “I'm a Londoner. From your future.”<br/>  “But, but you're not-”<br/>  “What?”<br/>Nancy’s voice dropped into a whisper. “German.”<br/>  “Nancy, the Germans don't come here. They don't win. Don't tell anyone I told you so, but you know what? You win.”<br/>  “We win?”<br/>Rose grinned. “Come on!” And led her back to Eris and the boys. </p><p>As they reached them, Jack managed to open the ambulance. <br/>  “It's empty. Look at it.”<br/>The Doctor shook his head. “What do you expect in a Chula medical transporter? Bandages? Cough drops? Rose?”<br/>  “I don't know.”<br/>  “Yes, you do.” He held his hand up, and Rose realised what he was getting at. <br/>  “Nanogenes!”<br/>  “It wasn't empty, Captain. There were enough nanogenes in there to rebuild a species.”<br/>Jack looked like he wanted to be sick. “Oh, God.”<br/>  “Getting it now, are we? When the ship crashes, the nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find first is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night, and wearing a gasmask.”<br/>Rose frowned. “And they brought him back to life? They can do that?”<br/>  “What's life? Life's easy, a quirk of matter, nature's way of keeping meat fresh. Nothing to a nanogene. One problem, though. These nanogenes, they're not like the ones on your ship. This lot have never seen a human being before, they don't know what a human being's supposed to look like. All they've got to go on is one little body, and there's not a lot left. But they carry right on. They do what they're programmed to do, they patch it up. Can't tell what's gasmask and what's skull, but they do their best. Then off they fly, off they go, work to be done. Because, you see, now they think they know what people should look like, and it's time to fix all the rest. And they won't ever stop. They won't ever, ever stop. The entire human race is going to be torn down and rebuilt in the form of one terrified child looking for its mother, and nothing in the world can stop it!” <br/>By the end of his monologue, the Doctor was shaking with pure rage, an accusatory finger in Jack’s face. All of the colour had drained from Jack’s face, and he struggled to get his words out.  <br/>  “I didn't… I didn’t know.”<br/>Once the Doctor had turned away to tinker with the ambulance, Eris pulled Jack into a short, strong hug. <br/>  “He knows you didn’t do this deliberately, he’s just trying to work out how to fix it. Once this is all sorted out, he’ll be a lot calmer. Ok?” <br/>  “Ok.” Jack looked a little less stressed, and Eris left him to help her dad. </p><p>Nancy shouted, getting their attention. “Rose!”<br/>They turned to see that the gas mask people had broken through the gates and were marching towards them, all asking the same question just as they had been doing earlier. <br/>  “Mummy? Mummy?” <br/>Rose looked over her shoulder at the cylinder. <br/>  “It's bringing the gas mask people here, isn't it?”<br/>Eris nodded. “The ship thinks it's under attack. It's calling up the troops, something like that would probably be standard protocol for a ship like this.”<br/>  “But the gas mask people aren't troops.”<br/>The Doctor looked grim. “They are now. This is a battle-field ambulance. The nanogenes don't just fix you up, they get you ready for the front line. Equip you, programme you.”<br/>  “That's why the child's so strong. That’s why it was able to do that phoning thing.”<br/>  “It's a fully equipped Chula warrior, yes. All that weapons tech in the hands of a hysterical four year old looking for his mummy. And now there's an army of them.”<br/>The masked people stopped suddenly, around thirty metres away from them, waiting. <br/>  “Why don't they attack?”<br/>  “Good little soldiers, waiting for their commander.”<br/>Jack blinked in shock. “The child?”<br/>Nancy grabbed his arm, an odd look on her face. “Jamie.”<br/>  “What?”<br/>  “Not the child. Jamie.”<br/>The loud crunch of an explosion nearby set Rose’s teeth on edge, and she looked over at Jack, dreading the answer.<br/>  “So how long until the bomb falls?”<br/>  “Any second.”<br/>The Doctor scoffed. “What's the matter, Captain? A bit close to the volcano for you?”</p><p>Quiet sniffling next to Eris’ shoulder made her look down, and her heart sank to see Nancy sobbing, muttering the same phrase to herself over and over. <br/>  “He's just a little boy.”<br/>  “Hey, hey, I know. I know this is hard.” She put an arm around the shorter girl’s shoulders, getting her dad’s attention as she did so. The Doctor joined them, frowning sympathetically at Nancy. <br/>  “He's just a little boy who wants his mummy.”<br/>  “I know. There isn't a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy. And this little boy can.” <br/>  “It's my fault.”<br/>  “No, don’t say that.”<br/>  “It is. It's all my fault.”<br/>The patients’ chanting increased in volume behind them, and Nancy’s sniffles descended into full blown sobbing. Putting two and two together, the Doctor held Nancy’s hands, speaking calmly, but quickly. <br/>  “Nancy, what age are you? Twenty? Twenty one? Older than you look, yes?”<br/>Before she could answer, an explosion particularly close to them shook the ground, and Jack cried out. <br/>  “Doctor, that bomb. We've got seconds!”<br/>Rose used his shoulder to stop herself falling over. “You can teleport us out.”<br/>  “Not you guys. The nav-com's back online. Going to take too long to override the protocols.”<br/>The Doctor looked over at him. “So it's volcano day. Do what you've got to do.”<br/>Jack nodded solemnly, before vanishing just as he had done earlier. Turning back to Nancy, the Doctor continued piecing together his theory. <br/>  “How old were you five years ago? Fifteen? Sixteen? Old enough to give birth, anyway. He's not your brother, is he? A teenage single mother in 1941.” Nancy hung her head, and he knew he’d come to the right conclusion. “So you hid. You lied. You even lied to him.”<br/>  “Are you my mummy?” <br/>The child was now standing in front of his army, several feet shorter than his soldiers but no less intimidating as he stared at the Doctor’s little group. <br/>  “He's going to keep asking, Nancy. He's never going to stop.”<br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>  “Tell him. Nancy, the future of the human race is in your hands. Trust me and tell him.” Giving her space, the Doctor moved a few paces away and after a nudge, so did Eris. </p><p>Slowly, Nancy walked forwards, stumbling a little when Jamie moved to stand opposite her but staying upright. They were maybe a metre apart when they stopped moving, watching each other. Jamie was the first to talk. <br/>  “Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy?”<br/>Once again, tears trailed over Nancy’s face. “Yes. Yes, I am your mummy.”<br/>  “Mummy?”<br/>  “I'm here.”<br/>  “Are you my mummy?”<br/>  “I'm here.”<br/>  “Are you my mummy?”<br/>  “Yes.”<br/>  “Are you my mummy?<br/>Eris was pale, heart sinking at the exchange. “He doesn’t know.”<br/>The Doctor closed his eyes. “He doesn't understand. There's not enough of him left.”<br/>Nancy had knelt down to be on the same level as Jamie so they could be face to face. <br/>  “I am your mummy. I will always be your mummy. I'm so sorry. I am so, so sorry.”<br/>Unable to stop herself, Nancy leant forwards and swept Jamie into a hug, holding him as close to her as she possibly could. The moment the two came into contact with each other, a sinuous golden cloud of nanogenes blossomed into being around them. <br/>Rose gasped. “What's happening? Doctor, it's changing her, we should-”<br/>  “Shush!” The Doctor held up a hand, a smile dancing at the corners of his mouth. “Come on, please. Come on, you clever little nanogenes. Figure it out! The mother, she's the mother. It's got to be enough information. Figure it out.”<br/>  “What's happening?”<br/>  “See? Recognising the same DNA.”<br/>Jamie let go and stepped back, leaving Nancy to fall backwards onto the ground. For a drawn out, awful moment, nothing happened. <br/>  “Oh, come on. Give me a day like this. Give me this one.” <br/>The Doctor moved forwards in a sort of run, helping Nancy off the floor before reaching out and touching Jamie’s gas mask. When nothing happened to him, he gripped the mask firmly and pulled the mask up, revealing a round face that was grubby, but very much alive. Overwhelmed with glee, the Doctor picked Jamie up and spun him in a circle before passing him to Nancy, grinning gleefully. <br/>  “Ha-ha! Welcome back! Twenty years till pop music - you're going to love it.”<br/>This time, Nancy’s tears were joyous, not sad. “What happened?”<br/>  “The nanogenes recognised the superior information, the parent DNA. They didn't change you because you changed them! Ha-ha!”<br/>Now that it was safe, Eris and Rose joined the Doctor. Eris ruffled Jamie’s hair, giggling as the boy smiled bashfully. “Mother knows best!”</p><p>A thought occurred to Rose. “Doctor, that bomb.”<br/>  “Taken care of it.”<br/>  “How?”<br/>  “Psychology.”<br/>Watching as the bomb hurtled towards them, Rose flinched as it came uncomfortably close before being stopped abruptly in a very familiar light field. The air above the bomb rippled slightly, and Jack appeared, sitting astride the bomb. <br/>  “Doctor!”<br/>  “Good lad!”<br/>  “The bomb's already commenced detonation. I've put it in stasis but it won't last long.”<br/>  “Change of plan. Don't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it, safely as you can?” <br/>Jack nodded, winking at the girls. <br/>  “Eris?”<br/>She smirked. “Comfortable up there Captain?”<br/>  “Yep. This is goodbye, though. Nice knowing ya.” <br/>  “Maybe we’ll meet again some day.”<br/>  “In your dreams, sweetheart.”<br/>Eris laughed. “Nah. In yours, maybe. Goodbye Captain.”<br/>  “Goodbye.”<br/>And he vanished, taking the bomb with him. But only for a moment. When he reappeared, he directed his comment at Rose. <br/>  “By the way, loving that shirt you’ve got.”<br/>Rose blushed, grinning and tugging self-consciously at the hem of the shirt as the light field retracted into Jack’s ship and it flew away. </p><p>Standing a short distance from them, the Doctor was staring pensively into a cloud of the nanogenes. <br/>  “Dad? What are you doing?”<br/>  “Software patch. Going to email the upgrade.” He glanced over his shoulder, beaming at his companions. “Think back to what we were talking about earlier. You want moves, Rose? I'll give you moves.” And he thrust his hands forward, propelling the nanogenes towards the remaining gas mask creatures. They all fell to the ground, still for a moment before slowly making their way to their feet - and removing their gas masks! <br/>  “Everybody lives. Just this once, everybody lives!”<br/>Recognising Doctor Constantine’s clothes, the Doctor ran to make sure he was alright, leaving Nancy and Jamie to spend a little time together. <br/>  “Doctor Constantine. Who never left his patients. Back on your feet, constant doctor. The world doesn't want to get by without you just yet, and I don't blame it one bit. These are your patients. All better now.”<br/>To his credit, Doctor Constantine looked relatively unperturbed by the oddness of their current situation. “Yes, yes, so it seems. They also seem to be standing around in a disused railway station. Is there any particular reason for that?!<br/>The Doctor shrugged. “Yeah, well, you know, cutbacks. Listen, whatever was wrong with them in the past, you're probably going to find that they're cured. Just tell them what a great doctor you are. Don't make a big thing of it. Okay?”<br/>Leaving Constantine to reassure some of his more anxious patients, the Doctor stood with Eris and Rose and made an announcement to the whole group. <br/>  “Right, you lot. Lots to do. Beat the Germans, save the world. Don't forget the welfare state! Setting this to self-destruct, soon as everybody's clear. History says there was an explosion here. Who am I to argue with history?”<br/>Eris snorted so hard that she made herself cough for a moment, and looked up at her dad through watery eyes. <br/>  “Usually? You’re the first in line!”</p><p> All the way back to the TARDIS - and indeed, inside the TARDIS herself - the Doctor had been contagiously cheerful. Neither Eris nor Rose could stop themselves from smiling along with him, thriving in the positivity. The Doctor clapped his hands together. “The nanogenes will clean up the mess and switch themselves off, because I just told them to. Nancy and Jamie will go to Doctor Constantine for help, ditto. All in all, all things considered, fantastic!”<br/>Rose laughed. “Look at you, beaming away like you're Father Christmas.”<br/>  “Who says I'm not, red bicycle when you were twelve?” He pointed at her, before swivelling to set the console for departure. <br/>Eris groaned, slinging an arm around Rose as she did so. “Don’t set him up like that, he can’t resist being dramatic. Especially when he’s in a good mood like this.”<br/>Rose was still in shock over the bicycle comment. “What?”<br/>The Doctor was still going. “And everybody lives, Rose! Everybody lives! I need more days like this.” <br/>Eris looked a little troubled. She hated to burst her dad’s bubble, but she needed an answer. <br/>  “Dad?”<br/>  “Go on, ask me anything. I'm on fire!”<br/>  “What about Jack? Why did he feel the need to say goodbye?” <br/>The Doctor visibly deflated, coming to stand opposite Eris, shoulders slumped. <br/>  “He’s still got the bomb. And it’s already started the explosion process.” <br/>Figuring out what he meant, Eris’ face morphed into an expression that Rose could only describe as ‘puppy-dog eyes’. <br/>  “Can we help him?” <br/>  “I don’t know…”<br/>  “Dad!” <br/>Sighing, the Doctor gave in. “We can try. But I’m not making any promises. It won’t be easy.”<br/>Eris was already at the controls. “How do we do this?” </p><p>When they were ready, Rose opened the TARDIS doors, revealing the inside of Jack’s spaceship. The space was considerably smaller than it had been earlier, which was understandable given the sizable German bomb being kept on board. Jack was talking to the ship’s AI. <br/>  “Okay, computer, how long can we keep the bomb in stasis?”<br/>  “Stasis decaying at ninety percent cycle. Detonation in three minutes.”<br/>  “Can we jettison it?”<br/>  “Any attempt to jettison the device will precipitate detonation. One hundred percent probability.”<br/>Jack hummed thoughtfully. “We could stick it in an escape pod.”<br/>  “There is no escape pod on board.”<br/>  “I see the flaw in that. I'll get in the escape pod.”<br/>In the TARDIS, the trio collectively facepalmed. Clearly, he was hoping too hard to actually listen to what he was being told. <br/>The feminine voice of the computer was totally apathetic. “There is no escape pod on board.”<br/>  “Did you check everywhere?”<br/>  “Affirmative.”<br/>  “Under the sink?!” He roared.<br/>  “Affirmative.”<br/>Sighing, Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and tried a different line of inquiry. “Okay. Out of one hundred, exactly how dead am I?”<br/>  “Termination of Captain Jack Harkness in under two minutes. One hundred percent probability.”<br/>  “Lovely. Thanks. Good to know the numbers.”<br/>  “You're welcome.”<br/>  “Okay then. Think we'd better initiate emergency protocol four one seven.”<br/>  “Affirmative.”</p><p>The TARDIS’ inhabitants exchanged looks of exasperated amusement as a cocktail appeared in Jack’s hand, and decided that they’d better get a move on before Jack actually ended up getting blown up. <br/>  “Oh, a little too much vermouth. See if I come here again. Funny thing. Last time I was sentenced to death, I ordered four hyper-vodkas for my breakfast. All a bit of a blur after that. Woke up in bed with both my executioners. Mmm, lovely couple. They stayed in touch. Can't say that about most executioners. Anyway. Thanks for everything, computer. It's been great.”<br/>Jack frowned as a Moonlight Serenade started to play from somewhere that definitely wasn’t inside his ship, and rotated his chair to see the entrance to the TARDIS, doors wide open. Eris waved to him from the console while Rose danced with the Doctor. <br/>  “Well, hurry up then!”<br/>Jack sprinted into the ship, looking very impressed by the interior. <br/>Rose was getting gradually more annoyed at the DOctor’s lack of coordination.<br/>  “Okay. And right and turn. Okay, okay, try and spin me again, but this time don't get my arm up my back. No extra points for a half-nelson.”<br/>The Time Lord groaned. “I'm sure I used to know this stuff.” Before gesturing at Jack. “Close the door, will you? Your ship's about to blow up. There's going to be a draught!”<br/>Jack closed the door, and watched as Eris started up the engine, awestruck as lights rippled in waves around the room. She spread her arms wide, like a circus master introducing a performer. <br/>  “Welcome to the Tardis.”</p><p>The Doctor pulled a face. <br/>  “Oi! Who’s ship do you think this is?”<br/>Jack didn’t seem to notice the interaction. “Much bigger on the inside.”<br/>  “You'd better be.” The Doctor rounded on him, before being brushed aside by Eris. <br/>  “Leave him alone, dad. He’s only just realised he isn’t going to explode.”<br/>Before the Doctor could come up with a retort, the music changed to In The Mood, and he instinctively tapped his feet to the beat. <br/>  “How could I have forgotten? I can dance! I can dance!”<br/>He pulled Eris towards him and the two fell into step, giggling as they managed to move in something reminiscent of a 40’s swing dance. <br/>Eris ducked under his arm and held her free hand out to Jack.<br/>  “Come on, we can’t leave everyone else out of the fun! Besides, you promised a dance to Rose, not me.” And she dragged Rose over to take her place so she could dance with Jack. <br/>For the first minute or so, the Doctor watched Jack and Eris dance, narrowing his eyes whenever they got too close to each other or when Jack’s hands were anywhere other than her waist. Then he relaxed, allowing himself to enjoy dancing with Rose, laughing when she squeaked in surprise when he dipped her. </p><p>Maybe, having someone else around wouldn’t be so bad after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Boom Town</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amongst the busy crowds of people flooding in and out of Cardiff Central railway station, Mickey Smith felt rather claustrophobic and - not for the first time - wondered why the hell the Doctor had decided to land in Cardiff, of all places. It surely would have been easier to land in London, or somewhere that was at least close to where he lived. But no, he’d had to spend the last two hours on an uncomfortably warm train just to drop something off. On the bright side, maybe he could convince them to let him hang around for a little while, give him a chance to talk to Rose properly. There were things that needed saying. </p><p>Walking out onto Roald Dahl Plass, Mickey was relieved to see the TARDIS parked in front of a giant water tower, standing out against the silver of the metal slab. At least he wasn’t going to spend another two hours walking around Cardiff trying to find them. He knocked on the door, expecting Rose to answer. A face he didn’t recognise appeared when the door opened. <br/>  “Who the hell are you?”<br/>  “What do you mean, who the hell am I? Who the hell are you?” Mickey pulled a face, looking the man up and down.<br/>  “Captain Jack Harkness. Whatever you’re selling, we're not buying.” Jack tried to close the door, but Mickey shoved past him roughly.<br/>  “Get out of my way!”<br/>He’d barely made it through the doors when a familiar brunette practically flew at him, pulling him into a hug. <br/>  “Woah! Eris, you’re crushing me!” <br/>She let go, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s good to see you again.”<br/>Jack nodded in realisation. “Don't tell me. This must be Mickey.”<br/>From a raised gantry the Doctor shouted down to the others, wearing a bundle of wires around his neck like a flower lei. <br/>  “Here comes trouble! How're you doing, Ricky boy?”<br/>  “It's Mickey!”<br/>Rose shot a glare at the Doctor before moving to hug Mickey herself. <br/>  “Don't listen to him, he's winding you up.”<br/>  “You look fantastic.”<br/>The hug was slightly awkward, and wasn’t helped by Jack providing a running commentary in the background. <br/>  “Aw, sweet, look at these two. How come I never get any of that?”<br/>The Doctor snorted. “Buy me a drink first.”<br/>  “You're such hard work.”<br/>  “But I’m worth it.” The Doctor preened, grinning. <br/>Jack rolled his eyes, turning to Eris. “Do I have to buy you a drink as well?”<br/>Eris pretended to think for a moment, visibly mulling over her answer to the question, before leaning against the console. <br/>  “Well, seeing as we’ve already had drinks, I wouldn’t say no to a second date.”<br/>Jack smirked and opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a small lump of metal striking him in the back of the head. Rubbing the sore spot, he glared balefully up at the Doctor, who looked stern. <br/>  “Don’t even think about it, Jack.” </p><p>Watching the exchange, Rose remembered exactly why she’d begged Mickey to come and meet them. <br/>  “Did you manage to find it?”<br/>Reaching into a trouser pocket, he pulled out Rose’s passport and handed it to her.<br/>  “There you go.”<br/>  “I can go anywhere now.” She waved it up at the Doctor, who sighed in response.  <br/>  “I told you, you don't need a passport.”<br/>  “It's all very well going to Platform One and Justicia and the Glass Pyramid of San Kaloon, but what if we end up in Brazil? I might need it. You see, I'm prepared for anything.”<br/>Mickey’s heart sank, but he tried not to let it show. Rose was happy, and he didn’t want to take that away from her. <br/>  “Sounds like you’re staying, then. So, what're you doing in Cardiff? And who the hell's Jumping Jack Flash? I mean, I don't mind you hanging out with big-ears up there-”<br/>  “Oi!” The Doctor tugged at one of his ears self-consciously. <br/>  “Look in the mirror. But this guy, I don't know, he's kind of…”<br/>Jack interjected. “Handsome?”<br/>  “More like cheesy.”<br/>  “Early twenty first Century slang. Is cheesy good or bad?”<br/>  “It's bad.”<br/>  “But bad means good, isn't that right?”<br/>The Doctor still seemed offended. “Are you saying I'm not handsome?” He came down from the gantry, joining them on the main floor. <br/>Eris answered Mickey’s question. <br/>  “We just stopped here because we need to refuel. You see, Cardiff's got this rift running through the middle of the city. It's invisible, but think of it like an earthquake fault between different dimensions.”<br/>The Doctor picked up the explanation. “The rift was healed back in 1869.”<br/>Rose continued. “Thanks to a girl named Gwyneth, because these creatures called the Gelth, they were using the rift as a gateway but she saved the world and closed it.”<br/>Jack joined in. “But closing a rift always leaves a scar, and that scar generates energy, harmless to the human race-”<br/>The Doctor patted the console lovingly. “But perfect for the Tardis, so just park it here for a couple of days right on top of the scar and-”<br/>  “Open up the engines, soak up the radiation.” Eris grinned, twirling on the spot. <br/>  “Like filling her up with petrol and off we go!”<br/>Jack mimicked the noise of a spaceship taking off. “Into time!”<br/>The four of them finished the sentence in unison, high fiving each other before collapsing into giggles.<br/>  “And space!”<br/>Mickey stared at them, incredulous. “My God, have you seen yourselves? You all think you're so clever, don't you?”<br/>They shrugged. <br/>  “Yep.”</p><p>Stepping out of the TARDIS onto the normality of the Roald Dahl Plass, the Doctor locked the doors behind him, checking his watch as he did so. <br/>  “Should take another twenty four hours, which means we've got time to kill.”<br/>Mickey tried to make himself inconspicuous as a woman gave them a funny look as she walked past them. “That old lady's staring.”<br/>Jack winked at him. “Probably wondering what five people could do inside a small wooden box.”<br/>  “What are you captain of, the Innuendo Squad?” <br/>Eris laughed as Jack threw up a ‘Whatever’ gesture. <br/>  “Can I be co-captain? Or would sergeant be better?” <br/>Offering her an arm, Jack smirked. “Sergeant Eris? I like the sound of that.”<br/>The Doctor nudged his way between them, taking Eris’ hand and starting to walk away from the TARDIS. <br/>Mickey watched, confused. “Wait, the Tardis, we can't just leave it. Doesn't it get noticed?”<br/>Jack nodded. “Yeah I’ve been meaning to ask, what's with the police box? Why does it look like that?”<br/>  “It's a cloaking device.” Eris smiled. <br/>The Doctor slipped into lecture mode. “It's called a chameleon circuit. The Tardis is meant to disguise itself wherever it lands, like if this was Ancient Rome, it'd be a statue on a plinth or something. But I landed in the 1960s, it disguised itself as a police box, and the circuit got stuck.”<br/>Mickey tilted his head a little. “So it copied a real thing? There actually were police boxes?”<br/>  “Yeah, on street corners. Phone for help before they had radios and mobiles. If they arrested someone, they could shove them inside till help came, like a little prison cell.”<br/>Jack frowned. “Why don't you just fix the circuit?”<br/>  “I like it, don't you?”<br/>Eris and Rose answered in sync with each other, “I love it.” <br/>Mickey tried to make his point again. “But that's what I meant. There's no police boxes anymore, so doesn't it get noticed?”<br/>The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Ricky, let me tell you something about the human race. You put a mysterious blue box slap bang in the middle of town, what do they do? Walk past it. Now, stop your nagging. Let's go and explore.”<br/>Rose shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. “What's the plan?”<br/>  “I don't know. Cardiff, early twenty first century and the wind's coming from the east. Trust me. Safest place in the universe. Oi!”<br/>Eris had smacked him in the shoulder. “I wish you wouldn’t say things like that!” </p><p>They had wandered for around half an hour, Rose doing her best to drag both Eris and the Doctor away from every secondhand bookshop they walked past. At one point, she’d taken her eyes off them for a moment to talk to Mickey and turned around again to see that her friends were in a little store, arguing with each other over which year a particular book had been published. Since then, she’d been watching them like a parent watching over unruly children - which neither of them had appreciated. The two of them had sulked for almost twenty minutes, before Mickey’s stomach gurgling lightened the mood, and they went to find somewhere to eat. They ended up in a cosy little restaurant, sat at a table overlooking the beach, and ate some of the best fish and chips that the Doctor had eaten in a long time. Once they were finished, Jack regaled them with tales of his wild exploits - not all of them believable. <br/>  “I swear, six feet tall and with big tusks.”<br/>The Doctor scoffed. “You're lying through your teeth!”<br/>  “I'd have gone bonkers! That's the word - bonkers!” Rose laughed, leaning against Mickey. <br/>  “I mean, it turns out the white things are tusks and I mean tusks! And it's woken, and it's not happy.” Jack used his hands to mime a large set of tusks coming from his own face. <br/>Eris choked on her drink. “How could you not know it was there?”<br/>  “And we're standing there, fifteen of us, naked-”<br/>  “Naked?!”<br/>  “And I'm like, oh, no, no, it's got nothing to do with me. And then it roars, and we are running. Oh my God, we are running! And Brakovitch falls, so I turn to him and I say-”<br/>Mickey jumped in. “I knew we should've turned left!” <br/>The five of them fell about laughing, Jack reaching over to punch his arm in mock annoyance. <br/>  “That's my line!”<br/>Rose shook her head. “I don't believe you. I don't believe a word you say ever. That is so brilliant. Did you ever get your clothes back?”<br/>  “No, I just picked him up and went right for the ship, full throttle. Didn't stop until I hit the spacelanes. I was shaking. It was unbelievable. It freaked me out, and by the time I got fifteen light years away I realised I'm like this! I had been wondering why I felt so damn cold.” <br/>The sound of the Doctor almost falling out of his chair drew their attention, and the look on his face stopped their laughter instantly. He had leant back to grab a newspaper off the table behind them and held it up, showing them what it was that had made him angry. <br/>  “And I was having such a nice day.” <br/>The photo on the front was of Margaret Blaine - or rather, the Slitheen they knew was masquerading as her. </p><p>Ten minutes later, Eris had led them to the city hall, knowing the quickest route to get there from her many previous visits to Cardiff. Thankfully, it’s location hadn’t changed too much over the years. Standing in the foyer, Jack set out the plan he’d pieced together on the way. <br/>  “According to intelligence, the target is the last surviving member of the Slitheen family, a criminal sect from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorious, masquerading as a human being, zipped inside a skin suit. Okay, plan of attack, we assume a basic 57-56 strategy, covering all available exits on the ground floor. Doctor, you go face to face. That'll designate Exit One, Eris and I will cover Exit Two. Rose, you’re on Exit Three. Mickey Smith, you take Exit Four. Have you got that?”<br/>Eris grinned, impressed. The Doctor turned his head to stare at Jack, an eyebrow raised. <br/>  “Excuse me. Who's in charge?”<br/>Jack shifted on the spot. “Sorry. Awaiting orders, sir.”<br/>  “Right, here's the plan.” There was a pause, and he grinned. “Like he said. Nice plan. Anything else?”<br/>  “Present arms.” Each of them pulled out their phone apart from Eris, who linked an arm with Mickey. <br/>  “I’ll stick with Mickey on this one.”<br/>Mickey looked at her. “Why?”<br/>She smiled. “Cause I want to. All good to go?” <br/>  “Ready.”<br/>The others agreed, and Jack checked that they had the Doctor’s phone on speed dial. <br/>  “Yup.”<br/>  “Ready.”<br/>  “Check.”<br/>Jack saluted at them. “See you in hell.” And they split up. </p><p>The Doctor made his way up to Margaret’s office, where a young blonde man was sitting at a desk outside the door. Doing his best to act natural, he approached him. <br/>  “Hello, I've come to see the Lord Mayor.”<br/>The assistant looked up, his voice beautifully Welsh as he spoke. “Have you got an appointment?”<br/>  “No, just an old friend passing by. Bit of a surprise. Can't wait to see her face.” <br/>  “Well, she's just having a cup of tea.”<br/>  “Just go in there and tell her the Doctor would like to see her.”<br/>The man frowned. “Doctor who?”<br/>  “Just the Doctor. Tell her exactly that. The Doctor.”<br/>  “Hang on a tick.”<br/>Ducking into the office, the assistant disappeared from view briefly. The Doctor’s grin widened as a tea cup smashed and the young man reappeared, looking a little flustered. <br/>  “The Lord Mayor says thank you for popping by. She'd love to have a chat, but, er, she's up to her eyes in paperwork. Perhaps if you could make an appointment for next week?”<br/>The Doctor nodded. “She's climbing out of the window, isn't she?”<br/>  “Yes, she is.”<br/>Darting into the office, the Doctor was just in time to see Margaret’s head disappearing as she climbed down the scaffolding surrounding the balcony, and phoned the rest of his group. <br/>  “Slitheen heading north.”<br/>Rose and Jack sounded calm, but excited. <br/>  “On my way.”<br/>  “Over and out.”<br/>Mickey just sounded terrified. <br/>  “Oh my God.”<br/>The assistant did his best to stop the Doctor from following her. “Leave the Mayor alone!” But he had already vaulted the balcony railing and was heading down the scaffolding after her. </p><p>Having reached the bottom of the ladder, Margaret started to run, removing her brooch as she did so. Upon spotting Rose she turned in the opposite direction, only to see Jack targeting her too. The Doctor cut off her third escape route and she headed for the only remaining exit.<br/>  “Who's on Exit Four?” Jack groaned. <br/>Rose gasped, slightly breathless. “That was Mickey!” <br/>On cue, he and Eris arrived. “Here I am.”<br/>  “Mickey the idiot.” The Doctor grumbled. <br/>Eris shook her head. “We took a wrong turning and got stuck behind a few people.”<br/>Rose joined in to stick up for them too. “Oh, be fair. she's not exactly going to outrun us, is she?”<br/>As soon as the words left her mouth, Margaret finished fiddling with the jewellery in her hands and vanished. <br/>  “She's got a teleport! That's cheating! Now we're never going to get her.” Jack swore, throwing his hands up in frustration.<br/>Rose grinned as the Doctor pulled the sonic screwdriver from his pocket. “Oh I wouldn’t say that. The Doctor's very good at teleports.”<br/>Holding the button down, his own grin widened as Margaret reappeared, running towards them. When she realised, she turned on the spot and activated her teleport again. The second time, she materialised much closer to them and she panicked, vanishing again. The third time, Margaret stopped a few feet short of them, panting. <br/>The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “I could do this all day.”<br/>  “This is persecution. Why can't you leave me alone? What did I ever do to you?” Margaret sounded genuinely offended. <br/>  “You tried to kill me and destroy this entire planet.”<br/>  “Apart from that.”</p><p>Margaret had begrudgingly showed them into a large meeting room containing a scale model of a new nuclear power plant. The majority of the model was white, but part of the base was a darker grey. <br/>The Doctor started the interrogation. “So, you're a Slitheen, you're on Earth, you're trapped. Your family gets killed but you teleport out just in the nick of time. You have no means of escape. What do you do? You build a nuclear power station. But what for?”<br/>Margaret tried to morph her expression into one of offended innocence, but it wasn’t particularly convincing. “A philanthropic gesture. I've learnt the error of my ways.”<br/>  “And it just so happens to be right on top of the rift.”<br/>  “What rift would that be?”<br/>Eris folded her arms, regarding Margaret coolly. “A rift in space and time. If this power station went into meltdown, the entire planet would go… well, Jack would probably phrase it best.” <br/>Jack nodded, and took a deep breath as if he was about to launch into a detailed explanation - then made a sort of suctioning noise and slammed his hands together in a surprisingly good impression of an atomic implosion. <br/>  “This station is designed to implode the minute it reaches capacity.” Eris finished, winking appreciatively at Jack. <br/>Rose looked concerned. “Didn't anyone notice? Isn't there someone in London checking this sort of stuff?”<br/>At the mention of London, Margaret rolled her eyes so hard that the others were sure they’d fall out of her face. “We're in Cardiff. London doesn't care. The South Wales coast could fall into the sea and they wouldn't notice.” A look of disgust crossed her face. “Oh. I sound like a Welshman. God help me, I've gone native.”<br/>Mickey was struggling to get his head around the Slitheen’s plan. “But why would she do that? A great big explosion, she'd only end up killing herself.”<br/>  “She's got a name, you know.”<br/>  “She's not even a she, she's a thing.” Mickey sneered at her. <br/>Examining the model, the Doctor realised what safety measures Margaret had put in place. “Oh, but she's clever.” And he swept the white plastic pieces of the model to one side and pulled the middle grey section out, turning it over to reveal a series of complex electronics. “Fantastic.”<br/>There was a glint in Jack’s eyes. “Is that a tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator?”<br/>  “Couldn't have put it better myself.”<br/>  “This is genius! You didn't build this.” He took the panel from the Doctor and examined it more closely, picking at bits of circuitry. <br/>Margaret smirked. “I have my hobbies. A little tinkering.”<br/>Jack shook his head. “No, no, no. I mean, you really did not build this. Technology like this is way beyond you.”<br/>Mickey glared at her from the other side of the table, actively doing his best to keep his distance from Margaret. “I bet she stole it.”<br/>Her eyes narrowed. “It... fell into my hands.”<br/>Rose looked over Jack’s shoulder, trying to see sense in the maze of wires that crisscrossed the board. “Is it a weapon?”<br/>Jack launched into an explanation. “It's transport. You see, if the reactor blows, the rift opens. Phenomenal cosmic disaster. But this thing shrouds you in a forcefield. You have this energy bubble, so you're safe. Then you feed it coordinates, stand on top, and ride the concussion all the way out of the solar system.”<br/>Mickey grinned. “It's a surfboard.”<br/>  “A pan-dimensional surfboard, yeah.”<br/>Margaret sighed in annoyance. “And it would've worked. I would have surfed away from this dead end dump and back to decent civilisation.”<br/>Mickey looked disturbed. “You'd blow up a whole planet just to get a lift?”<br/>  “Like stepping on an anthill.”</p><p>While the tense conversation over the extrapolator was going on, the Doctor had wandered over to the left wall of the room to take a closer look at the colourful project banner that hung there. Something about the words printed there made him a little uneasy - both the name of the project and the sponsor were phrases he had seen before. <br/>  “How'd you think of the name?”<br/>  “What, Blaidd Drwg? It's Welsh.” Margaret shrugged. <br/>  “I know, but how did you think of it?”<br/>  “I chose it at random, that's all. I don't know. It just sounded good. Does it matter?”<br/>He shook his head. “Who’s the Enyo campaign?”<br/>  “A sponsor.” <br/>Eris joined them, looking troubled. “Yeah but who are they? Why did they choose to support the project?”<br/>Margaret seemed exasperated by the questions. “I don’t know! The reasons of humans don’t matter to me. If you’re that bothered, they left a card behind when their representative came to the meeting earlier.” <br/>Walking over to the central table again, Eris grabbed the card Margaret had mentioned and frowned at it, squinting at the tiny silver print that had been used against the white background of the card. The Doctor joined her, tilting the card into the light to illuminate the writing better. <br/>The Enyo Campaign<br/>Creating eternal positive change<br/>Contact for more information<br/>They checked both sides of the card, but there was no other text. No contact details, no address, no explanation of the cryptic second line. Nothing. Eris chewed at her lip, throwing the card onto the table. Pulling her to one side, the Doctor took one of her hands in his, concerned. <br/>  “Tell me what’s wrong.” <br/>  “I’ve heard that word before, Enyo. A few times. The first time I brushed it off, but the second time was with Gwyneth. And she used it in connection with me.” <br/>The Doctor realised why it was having such an effect on her. “You think it might be something to do with why you’re… well, you.” <br/>  “Maybe. And with the name of the project being what it is, I don’t like that they’ve both appeared together.”<br/>  “You figured the name out too?”<br/>Eris rolled her eyes and he relaxed. If she was feeling alright enough to sass him, she was going to be okay. <br/>  “I was born in Wales, and I lived in Wales for sixty years, dad. I’ll give you three attempts to guess what my first language is.” </p><p>Rose joined them, bewildered by the flash of embarrassment that had crossed the Doctor’s face, but he brushed it off before she could ask about it and pointed up at the poster. <br/>  “Blaidd Drwg.”<br/>  “What does it mean?” Rose got a funny feeling from the words, but wasn’t sure why. <br/>Eris shifted uncomfortably as she translated the phrase.<br/>  “Bad Wolf.”<br/>  “But I've heard that before. Bad Wolf. I've heard that lots of times.”<br/>The Doctor nodded. “Everywhere we go. The same words following us. Bad Wolf.”<br/>  “How can they be following us?” <br/>He grinned suddenly, breaking the tension. “Nah, just a coincidence. Like hearing a word on the radio then hearing it all day. Never mind. Things to do.” He called over to the others, where Margaret was standing on the other side of the table from Jack and Mickey. “Margaret, we're going to take you home.”<br/>Jack pulled a face. “Hold on, isn't that the easy option, like letting her go?”<br/>Rose had an entirely different thought on the matter. “I don't believe it! We actually get to go to Raxa…” She tailed off, struggling to get the word out. “Wait a minute! Raxaco-”<br/>  “Raxacoricofallapatorius.” The word flowed easily from the Doctor’s mouth. <br/>  “Raxacorico-”<br/>  “-fallapatorius.”<br/>  “Raxacoricofallapatorius. That's it! I did it!” She cheered, and the Doctor pulled her into a celebratory hug. Unfortunately, Margaret spoiled the moment. <br/>  “They have the death penalty.” Everyone fell silent. “The family Slitheen was tried in its absence many years ago and found guilty with no chance of appeal. According to the statutes of government, the moment I return, I am to be executed. What do you make of that, Doctor? Take me home and you take me to my death.”<br/>The Time Lord shrugged, apathetic. <br/>  “Not my problem.”</p><p>They left the city hall to find that day had melted into twilight, and the sky darkened rapidly as they made their way back to the TARDIS. Margaret had made several attempts to start a conversation, but the others ignored her. Once inside the ship, they relaxed a little, knowing they had the upper hand. Margaret was impressed by the complexity of the machinery surrounding her. <br/>  “This ship is impossible. It's superb. How do you get the outside around the inside?”<br/>  “Like I'd give you the secret, yeah.” The Doctor snorted.<br/>  “I almost feel better about being defeated. I never stood a chance. This is the technology of the gods.”<br/>  “Don't worship me - I'd make a very bad god. You wouldn't get a day off, for starters. Jack, how are we doing over there mate?”<br/>Jack and Eris had rested the device against one of the console panels and were attaching various wires to it, trying to learn more about it. <br/>  “This extrapolator's top of the range. Where did you get it?”<br/>  “Oh, I don't know. Some airlock sale?”<br/>  “Must've been a great big heist. It's stacked with power.”<br/>The Doctor looked hopeful. “Can we use it for fuel?”<br/>Eris shook her head, “It's not totally compatible, but it should knock off about twelve hours. We'll be ready to go by morning.”<br/>  “Then we're stuck here overnight.”<br/>Margaret smiled. “I'm in no hurry.”<br/>Rose giggled suddenly. “We've got a prisoner. The police box is really a police box.”<br/>  “You're not just police, though. Since you're taking me to my death, that makes you my executioners. Each and every one of you.”<br/>  “Well, you deserve it.” Mickey snapped, shuffling away from her. <br/>  “You're very quick to say so. You're very quick to soak your hands in my blood, which makes you better than me, how, exactly? We’ve got a long night ahead. Let's see who can look me in the eye.”<br/>Margaret tried to make eye contact with each of them in turn. Rose and Mickey looked away instantly, while Jack managed to hold her gaze for a moment before focusing his attention on the extrapolator once again. Eris didn’t even try, making a big show of turning her back to their prisoner and hunching over the extrapolator. The Doctor merely glanced up for a second before looking down at the console again, pretending to read something on the scanner. The tension became unbearable and, after exchanging looks, Mickey and Rose left the TARDIS and stepped into the cool evening breeze outside. </p><p>Mickey was leaning against a railing a few metres away from the front of the TARDIS, staring up at the shimmering facade of the water tower. Rose stood next to him, shivering.<br/>  “It's freezing out here!”<br/>Mickey pulled a face. “Better than in there. She does deserve it. She's a Slitheen. I don't care. It's just weird in that box.”<br/>There was a pause. “I didn't really need my passport.”<br/>  “I've been thinking, you know, we could go have a drink. Have a pizza or something. Just you and me.”<br/>  “That'd be nice.”<br/>  “And, I mean, if the Tardis can't leave until morning, we could go to a hotel, spend the night. I mean, if you want to. I've got some money.” With every word, Mickey became more and more nervous. Was he asking too much?<br/>  “Okay, yeah.”<br/>  “Is that all right?”<br/>Rose smiled, feeling a little awkward but trying not to show it. “Yeah.”<br/>  “Cool. There's a couple of bars around here. We should give them a go. Do you have to go and tell him?”<br/>Rose snorted. “It's none of his business.” <br/>Linking her arm through Mickey’s, Rose allowed him to lead her off to where he’d seen a nice looking pizza place earlier. </p><p>Back inside the TARDIS, the Doctor watched the couple walk away. Jack peered over his shoulder as the Doctor changed the display, not wanting to be caught watching them. <br/>  “So, what's on?”<br/>The Doctor sighed. “A nice, juicy portion of nothing.” <br/>Margaret had made herself comfortable on one of the seats around the console, and butted into the conversation. <br/>  “I gather it's not always like this, having to wait. I bet you're always the first to leave, Doctor. Never mind the consequences, off you go. You butchered my family and then ran for the stars, am I right? But not this time. At last you have consequences. How does it feel?”<br/>  “I didn't butcher them.” The Doctor spat, furious at her choice of words.<br/>Eris put a hand on his shoulder. “Don't answer back. That's what she wants.”<br/>  “I didn't. What about you? You had an emergency teleport. You didn't zap them to safety, did you?”<br/>Margaret looked a little uncomfortable. “It only carries one. I had to fly without coordinates. I ended up on a skip in the Isle of Dogs.” There was a moment of pure silence and then Eris was the first to crack, shaking with laughter, leaning against Jack as he joined in. The Doctor couldn’t stop himself either, and the look on Margaret’s face was almost funnier than the mental image of her in a skip. “It wasn't funny!”<br/>  “Sorry. It is a bit funny.” The Doctor smirked. <br/>  “Do I get a last request?”<br/>  “Depends what it is.”<br/>  “I grew quite fond of my little human life. All those rituals. The brushing of the teeth, and the complicated way they cook things. There's a little restaurant just round the Bay. It became quite a favourite of mine.”<br/>  “Is that what you want, a last meal?”<br/>Margaret looked offended by the Doctor’s incredulous tone. “Don't I have rights?”<br/>Jack scoffed. “Oh, like she's not going to try to escape.”<br/>  “Except I can never escape the Doctor, so where's the danger? I wonder if you could do it? To sit with a creature you're about to kill and take supper. How strong is your stomach?”<br/>  “Strong enough.” Crossing his arms, the Doctor moved so that he was standing directly opposite his captive.<br/>  “I wonder. I've seen you fight your enemies. Now you should dine with them.”<br/>  “You won't change my mind.”<br/>  “Prove it.”<br/>  “There are thousands of ordinary people out there. If you slip away just for one second, they'll be in danger.”<br/>Jack reached into a pocket and pulled out two matching bracelets made of a thick silvery metal.<br/>  “Except I've got these. You both wear one. If she moves more than ten feet away, she gets zapped by ten thousand volts.” <br/>Margaret looked slightly frightened at that, and the Doctor grinned, taking the bangles from Jack. <br/>  “Margaret, would you like to come out to dinner? My treat.”<br/>  “Dinner in bondage. Works for me.” <br/>The Doctor turned, pointing a finger at Eris. <br/>  “Don’t let anything get broken while I’m gone.”<br/>Eris was clearly offended. “You really think I’d damage her?” <br/>  “Not you, but Jack’s never worked with a ship like this before. He doesn’t know what she’s like. Keep an eye on them both.” <br/>  “Gotcha. You be careful out there.” <br/>  “Always. See you later.” <br/>And so the Doctor and Margaret left, leaving Eris and Jack to continue wiring the extrapolator into the TARDIS. </p><p>They made an odd couple, the two aliens, sat together at a table for two amongst the groups of humans. Even as they were, they attracted a lot of attention from the people around them - something about the energy they both exuded clearly signalled their differences from those they were close to. Margaret smiled politely, exaggerating her own innocence. <br/>  “Here we are, out on a date, and you haven't even asked my proper name.”<br/>The Doctor rolled his eyes. “It's not a date. What's your name?”<br/>  “Blon. I am Blon Fel Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen. That's what it'll say on my death certificate.”<br/>  “Nice to meet you, Blon.”<br/>  “I'm sure. Look, that's where I was living as Margaret. Nice little flat, over there, on the top. Next to the one with the light on.”<br/>As he turned to look at the block of flats she was gesturing towards, Margaret quietly unscrewed the top of her ring and tipped a fine white powder into his glass of wine, leaning back into her seat as though she had never moved. <br/>  “Two bedrooms, bayside view. I was rather content. Don't suppose I'll see it again.”<br/>The Doctor hummed in mock sympathy and swapped their glasses. <br/>  “Suppose not.”<br/>  “Thank you.” Her smile turned bitter. <br/>  “Pleasure.”<br/>  “Tell me then, Doctor. What do you know of our species?”<br/>  “Only what I've seen.”<br/>  “Did you know, for example, in extreme cases, when her life is in danger, a female Raxacoricofallapatorian can manufacture a poison dart within her own finger.” She thrust a finger forward in an aggressive pointing motion and a small brown dart flew at the Doctor. He simply raised a hand and caught it between two fingers, not even looking up from the menu as he did so. <br/>  “Yes, I did.”<br/>  “Just checking. And one more thing. between you and me.” <br/>She looked around them self consciously and the Doctor leant in, curious. <br/>  “As a final resort, the excess poison can be exhaled through the lungs.”<br/>Margaret huffed out a breath but the Doctor had prepared for that too, and whipped a small spray bottle of breath freshener and spritzed it into her mouth, leaving Margaret with an odd taste on her tongue. <br/>  “That's better. Now then, what do you think? Mmm, steak looks nice. Steak and chips.” And he closed the menu, grinning. </p><p>Back out on the quayside, Rose and Mickey had finished eating and were wandering, enjoying the calm. Rose was describing one of their latest adventures in great detail, trying to get Mickey to understand some of the wonders that were out there. <br/>  “The Doctor took us to this planet a while back. It was much colder than this. They called it Woman Wept. The planet was actually called Woman Wept, because if you looked at it, right, from above, there's like this huge continent, like all curved around. It sort of looked like a woman, you know, lamenting. Oh my God, and we went to this beach, right. No people, no buildings, just this beach like a thousand miles across. And something had happened, something to do with the sun, I don't know, but the sea had just frozen. In a split second, in the middle of a storm, right, waves and foam, just frozen, all the way out to the horizon. Midnight, right, we walk underneath these waves a hundred feet tall, made of ice. And Eris-”<br/>  “I'm going out with Trisha Delaney.” Mickey cut in, deciding that if he didn’t say it now, he probably never would. <br/>Rose was stunned into silence for a moment, not quite sure how to respond. “Right. That's nice. Trisha from the shop?”<br/>  “Yeah, Rob Delaney's sister.”<br/>  “Well, she's nice. She's a bit big.” Rose did her best to keep her voice nonchalant. <br/>Mickey shrugged. “She lost weight. You've been away.”<br/>  “Well, good for you. She's nice.”<br/>  “So, tell us more about this planet, then.”<br/>  “That was it, really.”<br/>And the conversation died once again. </p><p>Margaret’s conversation topic of choice made the Doctor very glad that he had eaten earlier in the day. Any appetite he’d had before they got to the restaurant had very quickly been killed off. <br/>  “Public execution is a very slow, painful death. They prepare a thin acetic acid, lower me into the cauldron and boil me. The acidity is perfectly gauged to strip away the skin. Internal organs fall out into the liquid, and I become soup. And still alive, still screaming.”<br/>  “I don't make the law.”<br/>  “But you deliver it. Will you stay to watch?”<br/>  “What else can I do?”<br/>  “The Slitheen family's huge. There's a lot more of us, all scattered off-world. Take me to them. Take me somewhere safe.”<br/>He shook his head. “But then you'll just start again.”<br/>  “I promise I won't.”<br/>  “You've been in that skin suit too long. You've forgotten. There used to be a real Margaret Blaine. You killed her and stripped her and used the skin. You're pleading for mercy out of a dead woman's lips.” <br/>Margaret knew that her pleas were falling on deaf ears. <br/>  “Perhaps I have got used to it. A human life, an ordinary life. That's all I'm asking. Give me a chance, Doctor. I can change.”<br/>  “I don't believe you.”<br/>  “I promise you I've changed since we last met, Doctor. There was this girl, just today. A young thing, something of a danger. She was getting too close. I felt the blood lust rising, just as the family taught me, I was going to kill her without a thought. And then I stopped. She's alive somewhere right now. She's walking around this city because I can change. I did change. I know I can't prove it…”<br/>  “I believe you.”<br/>  “Then you know I'm capable of better.”<br/>He sighed. “It doesn't mean anything.”<br/>  “I spared her life.”<br/>  “You let one of them go, but that's nothing new. Every now and then, a little victim's spared because she smiled, because he's got freckles, because they begged. And that's how you live with yourself. That's how you slaughter millions. Because once in a while, on a whim, if the wind's in the right direction, you happen to be kind.”<br/>Acid crept into Margaret’s tone. “Only a killer would know that. Is that right? From what I've seen, your funny little happy go lucky little life leaves unimaginable devastation in its wake. Always moving on because you dare not look back. Playing with so many people's lives, you might as well be a god. And you're right, Doctor. You're absolutely right. Sometimes you let one go. Let me go.” </p><p>  “So, what do you want to do now?” Mickey knew the atmosphere between him and Rose had changed since his confession. Still, he tried to keep things civil. Now would be the worst time for a row. <br/>  “Don't mind.” Her answers were short, a little snappy. <br/>  “We could ask about hotels.”<br/>  “What would Trisha Delaney say?”<br/>  “Suppose. There's a bar down there with a Spanish name or something-”<br/>Rose couldn’t hold it in any longer and exploded. “You don't even like Trisha Delaney!”<br/>  “Oh, is that right? What the hell do you know?”<br/>  “I know you, And I know her. And I know that's never going to happen. So who do you think you're kidding?”<br/>Mickey’s voice was cracking slightly with emotion and he despised it. <br/>  “At least I know where she is!”<br/>  “There we are, then. It's got nothing to do with Trisha. This is all about me, isn't it?”<br/>Taking a deep breath and trying not to raise his voice any more than he already had done, Mickey told her the truth. <br/>  “You left me! We were nice, we were happy. And then what? You give me a kiss and you run off with him, and you make me feel like nothing, Rose. I was nothing. I can't even go out with a stupid girl from a shop because you pick up the phone and I comes running. I mean, is that what I am, Rose, standby? Am I just supposed to sit here for the rest of my life, waiting for you? Because I will.” <br/>Her eyes welled up a little, only just realising how much pain she had caused him. “I'm sorry.”<br/>  “I'm not asking you to leave him, because I know that's not fair. I know the travelling makes you happy, and I don’t want to ruin that for you. But I just need something, yeah? Some sort of promise that when you do come back, you're coming back for me.”</p><p>Margaret was still trying to appeal to the Doctor’s better nature. <br/>  “In the family Slitheen, we had no choice. I was made to carry out my first kill at thirteen. If I'd refused, my father would have fed me to the Venom Grubs. If I'm a killer, it's because I was born to kill. It's all I know. Doctor, are you even listening to me?”<br/>The Doctor, however, was distracted by a faint rumbling, not unlike distant thunder. But something about it made his hair stand on end. <br/>  “Can you hear that?”<br/>  “I'm begging for my life!”<br/>  “No, listen, shush.”<br/>Behind them, the glass front of the restaurant shattered and the customers around them screamed, panicking.</p><p>Out in the street, Rose made the decision to run back to the TARDIS, struggling against the shaking of the ground beneath her feet. Mickey called after her, but she couldn’t hear him. <br/>  “Oh, go on then, run! It's him again, isn't it? It's the Doctor! It's always the Doctor! It's always going to be the Doctor. It's never me!”</p><p>Having left the restaurant, also with the intention of returning to the TARDIS, the Doctor was moving as fast as he could. He only remembered Margaret’s presence when she shouted to him, having trouble keeping up. <br/>  “The handcuffs!”<br/>He waited for her to come alongside him then removed the cuff, pointing the sonic screwdriver at her warningly. <br/>  “Don't think you're running away.”<br/>  “Oh, I'm sticking with you. Some date this turned out to be!”<br/>The TARDIS came into view and he stopped for a second, horrified. Bright streamers of blue-white energy were surging up from the top of the TARDIS into the sky. <br/>  “It's the rift. The rift's opening!”<br/>They made it into the TARDIS just in time to see sparks burst from the console. Jack and Eris were working frantically, stretching themselves to work with as many controls as possible as the ship shook violently. Jack’s shirt was smoking a little and there was a burn on Eris’ cheek. <br/>  “What the hell are you doing?” The Doctor ran over to check the display. <br/>  “It just went crazy!” Jack ducked away from another burst of sparks before punching the extrapolator in anger. <br/>  “It's the rift. Time and space are ripping apart. The whole city's going to disappear!”<br/>Eris ripped another bundle of wires away from the device. “It's the extrapolator. I've disconnected it but it's still feeding off the engine! It's using the Tardis. I can't stop it!”<br/>  “Never mind Cardiff, it's going to rip open the planet.”<br/>Rose stumbled through the doors as a plume of fire erupted from the console and Eris pulled Jack away. <br/>  “What is it? What's happening?!”<br/>  “Oh, just little me.” There was an awful, wet tearing sound as Margaret removed the right arm of her skin suit to reveal the hulking green appendage beneath and used it to grab Rose, pulling her close by the neck. <br/>  “One wrong move and she snaps like a promise.”<br/>  “I might've known.” The Doctor groaned. <br/>  “I've had you bleating all night, poor baby, now shut it. You, fly boy, put the extrapolator at my feet.” <br/>Margaret tightened her grip on Rose and the blonde whimpered. Jack looked to the Doctor for confirmation and, getting a nod from him, obeyed her order. <br/>  “Thank you. Just as I planned.”<br/>  “I thought you needed to blow up the nuclear power station.” Rose struggled for breath under the thick sinews of Margaret’s arm. <br/>  “Failing that, if I were to be arrested, then anyone capable of tracking me down would have considerable technology of their own. Therefore, they would be captivated by the extrapolator. Especially to someone with a magpie mind like yours, Doctor. So the extrapolator was programmed to go to plan B. To lock onto the nearest alien power source and open the rift. And what a power source it found. I'm back on schedule, thanks to you.”<br/>Jack swore. “The rift's going to convulse. You'll destroy the whole planet!”<br/>   “And you with it!” <br/>Margaret stood on the extrapolator, dragging Rose with her. <br/>  “While I ride this board over the crest of the inferno all the way to freedom. Stand back, boys. Surf's up.”</p><p>Panicking, Eris thumped a fist harshly on the TARDIS console, trying to knock some sense into her. As if this was the cue that the TARDIS had been waiting for, one side of the console cracked open and lifted, revealing a bright golden light. The Doctor sounded calm as he ushered Eris and Jack away from it. <br/>  “Of course, opening the rift means you'll pull this ship apart.”<br/>  “So sue me.” The last living Slitheen spat. <br/>  “It's not just any old power source. It's the Tardis. My Tardis. The best ship in the universe.”<br/>  “It'll make wonderful scrap.”<br/>Rose had stopped struggling against the grip around her neck. “What's that light?”<br/>The Doctor smiled. “The heart of the Tardis. This ship's alive. You've opened its soul.”<br/>  “It's so bright.” Margaret’s voice had changed, become full of wonder. <br/>  “Look at it, Margaret.”<br/>  “Beautiful.”<br/>  “Look inside, Blon Fel Fotch. Look at the light.”<br/>Margaret relaxed enough for Rose to break out of her hold and dart out of the light, running to stand with Eris. <br/>Margaret smiled. “Thank you.” <br/>The light intensified suddenly and Margaret vanished, leaving the empty bodysuit to crumple with a soft splat on the floor. The Doctor approached the console, gesturing at the others. <br/>  “Don't look. Stay there and close your eyes!”<br/>There was a soft thud as he closed the console, and he started to undo the damage that had been caused. <br/>  “Eris, set all the switches on the left to delta point eight. Now, Jack, come on, shut it all down. Shut it down! Rose, that panel over there, I need you to turn all the switches to the right.”<br/>The tremors ceased as the TARDIS stopped releasing energy into the sky and everyone relaxed, sighing in relief. <br/>  “Nicely done. Thank you, all.”<br/>  “What happened to Margaret?” Rose was peering at the skin suit from a distance, reluctant to get too close. <br/>Jack walked over and kicked at it tentatively. “Must've been burnt up. Carried out her own death sentence.”<br/>The Doctor joined him. “No, I don't think she's dead.”<br/>  “Then where'd she go?”<br/>  “She looked into the heart of the Tardis. Even I don't know how strong that is. And the ship's telepathic, like I told you, Rose. Gets inside your head. Translates alien languages. Maybe the raw energy can translate all sorts of thoughts.” <br/>Eris and Rose both pulled faces as the Doctor stuck a hand inside the skin suit and pulled out a large green egg with dreadlock-like fronds coming from the top. <br/>  “Here she is.”</p><p>They crowded around the egg as the Doctor cupped it in both hands, smiling. <br/>  “She's an egg?” Eris raised an eyebrow, wincing a little as the movement tugged on the newly healed skin on her cheek. <br/>  “Regressed to her childhood.” He nodded, turning the egg this way and that in his hands. <br/>Jack was equally incredulous. “She's an egg?”<br/>  “She can start again. Live her life from scratch. If we take her home, give her to a different family, tell them to bring her up properly, she might be all right!”<br/>  “Or she might be worse.”<br/>  “That's her choice.”<br/>Rose laughed. “She's an egg.”<br/>  “She's an egg.”<br/>The memory of where she had been before things had gone wrong hit her like a train. <br/>  “Oh, my God. Mickey!”<br/>She ran from the TARDIS and crossed the quayside, carefully avoiding the multitude of large cracks that had formed. <br/>From a distance, Mickey watched as she approached a paramedic and asked a question, looking rather flustered. Making his choice, Mickey walked away. He’d been second best for too long now, and he was sick of it. They were better off going their separate ways for now. </p><p>Dejected at Mickey’s disappearance, Rose returned to the TARDIS alone. Inside, the Doctor and Eris had finished fixing the last of the problems. The Doctor smiled at her. <br/>  “We're all powered up. We can leave. Opening the rift filled us up with energy. We can go, if that's all right.”<br/>  “Yeah, fine.” Her lack of enthusiasm was obvious, but the others decided not to comment. <br/>  “How's Mickey?”<br/>  “He's okay. He's gone.”<br/>Eris shimmied her way out from under the console, an oil smudge on her forehead. <br/>  “Do you want to go and find him? We can wait, there’s no real rush.”<br/>  “No need. He deserves better.”<br/>The Doctor nodded. “Off we go, then. Always moving on.”<br/>Jack clapped his hands. “Next stop, Raxacoricofallapatorius. Now you don't often get to say that.”<br/>  “We'll just stop by and pop her in the hatchery. Margaret the Slitheen can live her life again. A second chance.”<br/>Rose was staring absently at a point somewhere on the other side of the room. “That'd be nice.” <br/>Exchanging glances, Eris and the Doctor decided not to bring it up and let her decide whether or not she wanted to talk about it. Nudging Jack out of the way, they set about starting the dematerialisation process, heading for Raxacoricofallapatorious.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Bad Wolf</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dazed, the Doctor realised that he was no longer in the TARDIS as he fell out of a small cupboard onto a carpeted floor. <br/>  “What is it? What's happening?”<br/>A pretty blonde girl ran over to him, as confused by his appearance as he was.<br/>  “Oh, my God! I don't believe it! Why'd they put you in there? They never said you were coming.”<br/>  “What happened? I was…”<br/>  “Careful now. Oh! Oh, mind yourself! Oh, that's the transmat. It scrambles your head. I was sick for days. All right? So, what's your name then, sweetheart?”<br/>She helped the Doctor to his feet, steadying him as he wobbled. <br/>He ran a hand over his face, groggy. “The Doctor, I think. I was, er. I don't know, what happened? How-”<br/>  “You got chosen.”<br/>  “Chosen for what?”<br/>  “You're a housemate. You're in the house. Isn't that brilliant?!” <br/>Two more people, a young man with dark hair and a young black woman, were standing by a large television screen with a heavily stylised eye splashed across it in neon pink. The man looked highly annoyed. <br/>  “That's not fair. We've got an eviction in five minutes! I've been here for all nine weeks, I've followed the rules, I haven't had a single warning, and then he comes swanning in.”<br/>The woman agreed. “If they keep changing the rules, I'm going to protest, I am. You watch me, I'm going to paint the walls.”<br/>A robotic voice played over the loudspeakers.<br/>  “Would the Doctor please come to the Diary Room?”<br/>On the opposite wall, a door with the same eye graphic on it opened. The Doctor walked in, still a little unsteady on his feet, and sat in a large, plush red velvet chair. The same voice spoke to him directly. <br/>  “You are live on channel forty four thousand. Please do not swear.”<br/>It finally dawned on him. “You have got to be kidding.”<br/>Of all the places he could possibly have ended up, the Big Brother house was the last place he would have imagined. </p><p>Rose woke up on a cold metal floor to see a dark-skinned man crouching beside her, looking concerned. <br/>  “What happened?”<br/>  “It's all right. It's just the transmat, the stupid thing does your head in. You’re bound to get a bit of amnesia. I’m Rodrick, what's your name?”<br/>  “Rose. But where's the Doctor?”<br/>He ignored her question. “Just remember to do what the android says. Don't provoke it. The android's word is law.”<br/>  “What do you mean, android? Like a robot?”<br/>From the centre of the room, a woman was shouting instructions. <br/>  “Positions, everyone! Thank you!”<br/>Rodrick helped Rose off the floor, an arm around her shoulders. <br/>  “Come on, hurry up. Steady, steady.”<br/>  “I was travelling with the Doctor and Eris, and a man called Captain Jack. The Doctor wouldn't just leave me, none of them would!”<br/>The woman directed them to a circle of podiums. “That's enough chat. Positions! Final call! Good luck!”<br/>  “But I'm not supposed to be here.”<br/>  “It says Rose on the podium. Come on.” As Rodrick took his own podium next to her, Rose looked around the room they were in. A small cluster of people in the centre of the room were working on a tall, sleek looking structure. As she watched they backed away to reveal a robot with a metal face and bright red plates in place of hair. The combination of the podiums and the figure pointed to one possibility. <br/>  “Hold on, I must be going mad. It can't be. This looks like the-”<br/>  “Android activated!”<br/>  “Oh, my God, the android. The Anne-droid.”<br/>And it spoke in a voice very similar to that of the woman who had inspired it.<br/>  “Welcome to The Weakest Link!”</p><p>  “Here we go again. We've got our work cut out for us.”<br/>  “I don't know. He's sort of handsome. Has a good lantern jaw.”<br/>  “Lantern jaws are so last year.”<br/>Jack felt like his ears were full of cotton wool as he woke up. He’d had worse hangovers, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant. Sitting up carefully, he noticed that he was no longer in the TARDIS - instead, he was resting on an examination bed in a room full of clothes racks. Standing opposite him was a pair of droids; one tall and slim, the other short and curvy. They were surprisingly attractive. <br/>  “Sorry, but where exactly am I? It’s nice to meet you, ladies.”<br/>The shorter of the two robots answered his question. “We're giving you a brand new image.”<br/>  “Oh, hold on, I was with the Doctor.” Then he stopped, processing the answer. “Why, is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?”<br/>Somehow, the taller one tutted. “It's all very twentieth century. Where did you get that denim?”<br/>  “A little place in Cardiff. It was called the Top Shop.”<br/>  “Ah! Design classic.”<br/>The shorter one shook its head. “But we're going to have to find you some new colours. Maybe get rid of that Oklahoma Farm Boy thing you've got going on.”<br/>  “Just stand still and let the Defabricator work its magic.”<br/>Jack frowned. “Hold on. What's a defabricator?”<br/>The robots wheeled a large, intimidating black gun towards him, stopping around a metre away. The short one pressed a button on the side and a beam of bluish light shot out at him. He braced himself, ready for the pain he was expecting, so was pleasantly surprised when he instead experienced a light tickling sensation. The by-product of this ray was the complete disintegration of his clothes. Yes, every piece of clothing. <br/>  “Okay. Defabricator. Does exactly what it says on the tin. Am I naked in front of millions of viewers?”<br/>  “Absolutely!” If robots could smile, these two would certainly be grinning wide enough to break some internal mechanisms. <br/>Unable to resist, Jack winked at them. “Ladies, your viewing figures just went up.”</p><p>A little nauseous, Eris almost headbutted the slender black man who was trying to wake her up as she sat upright suddenly. <br/>  “Woah there! Take it easy, you’ve only just woken up. I’m Ovek. Who are you?”<br/>  “I… I don’t know. Where am I?” <br/>Ovek smiled reassuringly. <br/>  “That’s okay, take your time. They aren’t starting the game yet.” <br/>Eris frowned, blinking the haze out of her eyes. <br/>  “I’m.. Eris. Yeah, Eris. What game?” <br/>Ovek laughed, then seemed to realise that she wasn’t joking. <br/>  “Countdown. Look around you, you’ve been selected. Can you stand?” <br/>Nodding shakily, she did so, quickly taking note of the giant minimalistic clock against one wall, the sleek desks on either side of it, and the group of uniformed people with headsets directing a handful of anxious-looking contestants into their positions. Noticing that Eris was upright, one of the uniforms called over to her.<br/>  “Come on! We’ve got to brief you before we can start, and we’re due on air in ten minutes.” <br/>Joining the other contestants, Eris realised that many of them had been crying. <br/>  “Right. You know the game, thirty seconds to defuse the bomb while coming up with a word from the letters that have been chosen. If you give a word that isn’t real, the bomb goes off. If you don’t come up with anything in the thirty seconds you’re given, the bomb goes off. If you can’t defuse the bomb fast enough… well, you get the idea. If you try and leave the game, or refuse to take part, you will be eliminated. Understood?” <br/>Before anyone could ask questions, the person that had been talking to them walked briskly away, shouting orders to their colleagues. Eris glanced up at Ovek, who looked a little nervous. <br/>  “Okay, I have questions. What are they going on about, bombs? And what did they mean, eliminated?”</p><p>For once, the Doctor wished he had a sonic blaster like Jack’s, because the sonic screwdriver was completely useless on every door he had tried to open so far. <br/>  “I can't open anything.”<br/>The young woman who had helped him earlier shook her head. “Everything’s got a deadlock seal, ever since Big Brother five hundred and four when they all walked out. You must remember that.”<br/>  “What about this?” He pointed at a doorway sealed with tinted black glass. <br/>  “Oh, that's exoglass. You'd need a nuclear bomb to get through.”<br/>He snorted. “Don't tempt me.” <br/>She looked around them cautiously, before lowering her voice. “I know you're not supposed to talk about the outside world, but you must've been watching. Do people like me? Lynda. Lynda with a Y, not Linda with an I. She got forcibly evicted because she damaged the camera. Am I popular?”<br/>The Doctor shrugged. “I don't remember.”<br/>Lynda was upset by his remark. “Oh, but does that mean I'm nothing? Some people get this far just because they're insignificant. Doesn't anybody notice me?” <br/>He backtracked quickly; he hadn’t wanted to make her feel bad. “No, you're, you're nice. You're sweet. Everybody thinks you're sweet.”<br/>  “Oh, is that right? Is that what I am? Oh, no one's ever actually told me that before. Am I sweet? Really?”<br/>  “Yeah. You’re dead sweet.” He grinned. <br/>She smiled in return, blushing a little. “Thank you.”<br/>The moment passed and the Doctor moved on to the next wall, knocking at it with a fist. <br/>  “It's just a wall. Isn't there supposed to be a garden out there or something?”<br/>Lynda laughed. “Don't be daft. No one's got a garden anymore. Who's got a garden? Don't tell me you've got a garden.”<br/>  “No, I've just got the TARDIS.” His casual remark jogged his memory. “I remember.”<br/>  “That's the amnesia! So what happened? Where did they get you?”<br/>  “We'd just left Raxacoriofallapatorius. Then we went to Kyoto. That's right, Japan in 1336, and we only just escaped. We were together, we were laughing and enjoying the moment, and then there was this light. This white light was coming through the walls, and then… and then I woke up here. On my own.”<br/>Lyna nodded sympathetically. “Yeah, that's the transmat beam. That's how they pick the housemates.”<br/>  “Oh, Lynda with a Y. Sweet little Lynda. It's worse than that. I'm not just a passing traveller. No stupid little transmat gets inside my ship. That beam was fifteen million times more powerful that it would have been ordinarily, which means this isn't just a game. There's something else going on.”<br/>He directed his next comment to one of the large eye graphics on the wall, predicting that a camera would be hidden behind it. <br/>  “Well, here's the latest update from the Big Brother house. I'm getting out. I'm going to find my friends, and then I'm going to find you.”</p><p>  “Seventeen, sixteen, fifteen. Thank you, people. Transmitting in twelve, eleven, ten…”<br/>Inside the game room of The Weakest Link, Rose was feeling more uneasy by the second as everyone took their places and the robot turned to survey the people at the podiums. <br/>  “I can’t do this, I need to find the Doctor, I need to find-”<br/>Next to her, Rodrick hissed. “Just shut up and play the game.”<br/>  “All right, then. What the hell. I'm going to play to win!”<br/>The lights dropped, then intensified, and the Anne-droid’s grating voice filled the studio.<br/>  “Let's play The Weakest Link. Start the clock. Agorax, the name of which basic food stuff is an anagram of the word 'beard'?”<br/>A middle aged man two podiums away from Rose answered confidently. “Bread.”<br/>  “Correct. Fitch in the Pan Traffic Calendar, which month comes after Hoob?”<br/>  “Is it Clavadoe?” The woman next to Rose was shaking, her voice barely audible as she answered. For some reason, she was utterly terrified. <br/>  “No, Pandoff. Rose, in maths, what is 258 minus 158?”<br/>Heart leaping, Rose shouted her answer. “One hundred!” This was a good start. <br/>  “Correct. Rodrick.”<br/>He cut her off. “Bank.”<br/>  “Which letter of the alphabet appears in the word dangle but not in the word gland?”<br/>  “E.”<br/>  “Correct. Colleen, in social security, what D is the name of the payment given to Martian Drones?”<br/>The woman on Rodrick’s left had long red hair, and played with it as she responded. “Default.”<br/>  “Correct. Broff, the Great Cobalt Pyramid is built on the remains of which famous Old Earth Institute?”<br/>Broff was about Rose’s age. “Er, Touchdown.”<br/>  “No, Torchwood. Agorax, in language, all five examples of which type of letter appear in the word facetious?” The circle of people was complete, and the droid continued with the questioning. <br/>  “Vowels.”<br/>  “Correct. Fitch, in biology, which blood cells contain iron? Red or white?”<br/>  “White.”<br/>  “No, red. Rose, in the holovid series 'Jupiter Rising', the Grexnik is married to whom?”<br/>Laughing incredulously, Rose choked an answer out. “How should I know?” Some of these questions were getting ridiculous. <br/>  “No, the correct answer is Lord Drayvole.”<br/>  “Rodrick: in maths, what is nine squared?”</p><p>Jack found that he was rather enjoying the predicament he had found himself in. This was the second outfit they’d given him, and it looked pretty decent in the mirror. It also helped that these were two of the flirtiest robots he’d ever met. And that was impressive, given the number of robots he had… well, encountered. <br/>  “It's the buccaneer look. Little dash of pirate and just a tweak of President Schwarzenegger.” The shorter robot - who had the name Trine-E printed on her back - managed to give him a look of appreciation. <br/>Jack wasn’t quite so convinced. “Nah, I’m not sure about the vest. What about a little bit of colour to lift it?”<br/>Zu-zana, the taller one, whirred in annoyance. “Absolutely not. Never wear black with colour. It makes the colour look cheap and the black look boring. Now, let's talk jackets.”<br/>  “I kind of like the first one.”<br/>  “No, that's a bit too much Hell's Angel.” She pulled a different jacket from the rail. “I think I like the shorter one. Look, waist length, nice and slimming, shows off the bum.”<br/>  “Works for me.”<br/>Trine-E patted his bum appreciatively. “Once we've got an outfit, we can look at the face. Ever thought about cosmetic surgery?”<br/>He frowned, squinting at his own reflection. “I've considered it, yeah. A little lift around the eyes. tighten up the jaw line. what do you think?”<br/>  “Oh, let's have a bit more ambition. Let's do something cutting edge.”<br/>Out of Jack’s line of sight, Trine-E had replaced her other arm with a long, powerful chainsaw. </p><p> </p><p>Once the round was over and the voting for the weakest player had taken place, the Anne-droid had decided to question some of the contestants she thought were less impressive. Her freshest target was Rose. <br/>  “So, Rose, what do you actually do?”<br/>She shrugged noncommittally. “I just travel about a bit. Bit of a tourist, I suppose.”<br/>  “Another way of saying unemployed.”<br/>  “No.”<br/>  “Have you got a job?”<br/>  “Well, not really, no, but-”<br/>The Anne-droid sounded triumphant at having caught her out. “Then you are unemployed! And yet, you've still got enough money to buy peroxide. Why Fitch?”<br/>Rose fidgeted a little. “Er, I think she got a few of the questions wrong, that's all.”<br/>  “Oh, you'd know all about that.”<br/>  “Well, yeah, but I can't vote for myself, so it had to be Fitch. I'm sorry, that's just the game. That's how it works. I had to vote for someone.”<br/>Next to her, Fitch was weeping desperately, her voice cracking in her throat as she tried to make a case for herself. <br/>  “Let me try again. It was the lights and everything. I couldn't think.”<br/>The Anne-droid’s voice was cold, and completely devoid of compassion. “In fact, with three answers wrong, Broff was the weakest link in that round, but it's votes that count.”<br/>  “I'm sorry. Please. Oh God, help me!”<br/>  “Fitch you are the weakest link. Goodbye!”<br/>The Anne-droid opened its mouth and a short metal barrel projected out of it. From the barrel shot a beam of whitish-gold light, which disintegrated Fitch where she stood, leaving a pile of dust on the floor in her place. The lights changed slightly and the floor manager shouted from the side of the room as the droid powered down briefly.<br/>  “And we've gone to the adverts. Back in three minutes.”<br/>Rose looked at Rodrick, horrified. “What's that? What's just happened?”<br/>In comparison, Rodrick looked totally unaffected. “She was the weakest link, she got disintegrated. Blasted into atoms.”<br/>She felt suddenly nauseous. “But I voted for her. Oh, my. This is sick. All of you, you're just sick! I'm not playing this.”<br/>At the same time, Broff sobbed the same sentiment from across the circle. <br/>  “I'm not playing! I can't do it. I'm not. Please, somebody let me out of here.”<br/>The Anne droid quietly powered up again as Broff made a break for it across the studio. <br/>  “You are the weakest link.”<br/>And it fired, disintegrating Broff a few metres away from freedom. <br/>  “Goodbye.”<br/>Rodrick sighed. “Don't try to escape. It's play or die.”</p><p>In the sitting room of the Big Brother house, the three original housemates were getting gradually more frustrated with the Doctor. An announcement had been made that they were all meant to sit down in front of the main screen, but the Doctor was blatantly ignoring it and instead sonicing one of the door frames.  <br/>Lynda held back a groan. “Doctor, they said all the housemates must gather on the sofa. You've got to.”<br/>  “I'm busy getting out, thanks.”<br/>  “But if you don't obey, then all the housemates get punished.”<br/>  “Well, maybe I'll be voted out, then.”<br/>The young man, who had been introduced as Strood, scoffed. “How stupid are you? You've only just joined, you're not eligible.”<br/>Lynda was pleading with him now. “Don't try anything clever or we all get it in the neck.”<br/>Over the speakers, the Davina-droid addressed them all. “Big Brother House! This is Davina Droid. Crosbie, Lynda and Strood, you have all been nominated for eviction. And the eighth person to be evicted from the Big Brother House is-” <br/>There was a pause for dramatic effect, and the Doctor flung himself onto the sofa next to Lynda, rolling his eyes at the unnecessary tension. The housemates were holding hands, staring anxiously at the screen. <br/>  “Crosbie!”<br/>Crosbie was tearful as the others tackled her into a threeway hug, apologising over and over. <br/>  “I'm sorry! Oh, I'm sorry! Sorry!”<br/>  “Oh, it should've been me. Oh, that's not fair, Crosbie love.”<br/>The Doctor crossed his arms, not understanding why they were making such a fuss. <br/>The Davina-droid made another proclamation. “Crosbie, you have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're going to get you.”<br/>Lynda and Strood accompanied Crosbie to a white door in the wall next to the screen, still talking over each other. <br/>  “I won't forget you.” Lynda sniffled. <br/>Crosbie was doing her best to keep it together. “I'm sorry I stole your soap.”<br/>  “I don't mind, honestly.” Lynda managed a laugh. <br/>Strood pulled her into one last hug. “Thanks for the food. You're a smashing cook. Bless you.”<br/>  “Crosbie, please leave the Big Brother House.” The door opened as the Davina-droid spoke, revealing a short white corridor with another door at the far end. <br/>  “Bye, then. Bye, Lynda.”<br/>  “Bye.”<br/>Strood and Lynda made an arch with their hands and, taking a breath, Crosbie walked through. The door closed behind her, and Strood hugged Lynda. <br/>  “I don't believe it. Crosbie.”<br/>The Doctor huffed, sick of the constant emotional overreaction. “It's only a game show. She'll make a fortune on the outside. Sell her story, release a record, fitness video, all of that. she'll be laughing.”<br/>  “What do you mean, on the outside?” Lynda stared at him. <br/>  “Here we go.” Strood dragged her back to the sofa to watch Crosbie standing in the hallway. <br/>Frowning, the Doctor looked at the closed door. “What are they waiting for? Why don't they just let her go?”<br/>  “Stop it, that’s not funny.”<br/>  “Eviction in five, four, three, two, one.” <br/>The last number was spoken and a beam shot from a barrel on the ceiling, striking Crosbie and leaving nothing more in the hallway than a pile of dust. <br/>  “What was that?” The Doctor stood, alarmed, looking between the distraught humans on the sofa and the empty corridor on the screen. <br/>  “Disintegrator beam.” Strood choked out, shuddering a little.<br/>Lynda finished the point he had been making. “She's been evicted. From life.”</p><p>In full tennis whites and swinging a tennis racket, Jack was still oblivious to the new danger he was in from the robots. <br/>  “No, I'm just not getting this. It's just too safe. Too decent. And you'd never keep it clean.”<br/>Zu-zana turned to Trine-E, having replaced one of her hands with a pair of large scissors.<br/>  “Stage two, ready and waiting.”<br/>  “Bring it on, girls.”<br/>The defabricator activated once again, leaving Jack totally naked once more. Not that he was complaining. <br/>  “And now it's time for the face off!” Trine-E raised the chainsaw behind Jack’s head. <br/>Jack grinned, squaring up like he was ready for a fight. “What does that mean? Do I get to compete with someone else?”<br/>  “No. Like I said, face off.”<br/>And she started the chainsaw. Realising the gravity of the situation, Jack backed away from them a little. <br/>Zu-zana raised the scissors. “I think you'd look good with a dog's head.”<br/>  “Or maybe no head at all. That would be so outrageous.” Trine-E spoke with the tone of a middle aged woman passing judgement on someone else’s haircut. <br/>  “And we could stitch your legs to the middle of your chest.”<br/>  “Nothing is too extreme. It's to die for.”<br/>Jack held his hands out placatingly, in an attempt to settle things. “Now, hold on, ladies. I don't want to have to shoot either one of you.”<br/>Both robots sounded utterly bewildered. <br/>  “But you're unarmed!”<br/>  “You're naked!”<br/>Smirking, Jack drew out a small hand weapon from somewhere behind him, aiming it at each of them. <br/>  “But… that's a Compact Laser Deluxe!”<br/>  “Where were you hiding that?”<br/>Jack raised an eyebrow. “You really don't want to know.”<br/>He made two shots in quick succession, blowing off the heads of both robots and leaving them smoking. </p><p>  “You are the weakest link. Goodbye!”<br/>Colleen was atomised, leaving Rose and Rodrick as the only remaining contestants. From one side of the room, the floor manager shot a thumbs up at someone on the other side. <br/>  “Going to the break! Two minutes on the clock. Just a reminder we've got solar flare activity coming up in ten. Thanks, everyone.”<br/>Rose frowned at Rodrick, confused. “Colleen was clever. She banked all our money. Why'd you vote for her?”<br/>He sneered. “Because I want to keep you in. You're stupid! You don't even know the Princess Vossaheen's surname. When it comes to the final, I want to be up against you, so that you get disintegrated and I get a stack load of credits courtesy of the Bad Wolf Corporation.”<br/>At that, a shockwave ran through Rose.<br/>  “What do you mean? Who's Bad Wolf?”<br/>  “They're in charge. They run the Game Station.”<br/>  “Why are they called Bad Wolf?”<br/>  “I don't know. It's just a name. It's like an Old Earth nursery rhyme sort of thing. “What does it matter?”<br/>Rose wasn’t really listening to him, running over all the times in her mind that those words had appeared. <br/>  “I keep hearing those words everywhere we go. Bad Wolf.”<br/>Gwyneth’s comment to Eris. ‘The darkness, the destruction, the powerful Enyo you have. The big bad wolf.’ The call sign of Van Statten’s helicopter. ‘Bad Wolf One descending.’ More recently, the conversation in Cardiff. <br/>  “Blaidd Drwg.”<br/>  “What's it mean?”<br/>  “Bad Wolf.” <br/>And more subtle things too. The ‘Bad Wolf’ graffiti sprayed on the side of the TARDIS. The news story about the Face of Boe running on the Bad Wolf channel. <br/>  “Different times. different places, like it's written all over the Universe.”<br/>Rodrick rolled his eyes at her. “What're you going on about?”<br/>  “If the Bad Wolf is in charge of this quiz, then maybe I'm not here by mistake. Someone's been planning this.”</p><p>Eris was now acutely aware of what they had been referring to when they mentioned elimination. Five minutes into the first round, one of the contestants on another team had panicked after spelling a word wrong and ran to escape the explosion, but had been shot down by one of the disintegration beams. The remaining twelve of them that had been selected were split into four teams of three, so that the game could run in three rounds. They were on the final round now, her team against a team made up of two elderly women and a middle aged man. She had been put on a team with Ovek and a purple-haired girl named Chefi, and they had done a pretty good job so far. But the bomb had already gone off six times so far. And everyone on the other team was more than a match for them. <br/>  “Come on. Just this round to go, then we’re done. We’re out.” <br/>Ovek looked grim. “Not quite. They’ve changed things up since the game first started running. Each person in the last team standing has to do a solo round. And if everyone succeeds, they keep going until there’s only one person standing.” <br/>  “What?” Eris looked around at the staff who were attending the droid during the advert break. “How is that fair?” <br/>Chefi’s lip wobbled a little. “Apparently it’s more entertaining. According to the game controllers, that is.”<br/>  “It’s disgusting.” <br/>Ovek shrugged. “There’s nothing we can do about it.”<br/>  “Oh yes there is. I promise, I’ll get you out of here. I’ll find a way.” <br/>Before either of them could tell her she was trying to do the impossible, they were called back to their positions. The droid leading the game rebooted.<br/>  “First round. Pavel against Ovek.” <br/>The man on the other team took his place at the desk, as did Ovek, and their letters flashed up on a large screen before them. <br/>  O  P  S  A  V  J  R  L  E<br/>  “Start the clock” <br/>The thirty second timer began and both men worked quickly, pulling at random wiring and circuits while putting the letters together in their heads. Ovek was the first to defuse the bomb, with Pavel finishing less than a second before it was due to explode. <br/>  “Your words, please.” <br/>Ovek made direct eye contact with Eris. “Four letters. Save.”<br/>Across the studio, Pavel looked smug. “Six letters. Perjal.” <br/>Eris’ heart sank as the droid whirred and clunked, thinking over the answers. If Ovek died because he’d used the round to tell her he believed in her, not to try and win, she would never forgive herself. <br/>  “Incorrect. Correct spelling is Perjaal. Bomb reactivating.” <br/>Pavel only had a moment to look panicked before the controlled explosion occurred and he vanished in a cloud of yellowish-gold smoke. <br/>  “Next round. Eris against Tosei.”</p><p>The Doctor was still infuriated by how casually the other contestants had accepted Crosbie’s death. <br/>  “Are you insane? You just step right into the disintegrator? Is it that important, getting your face on the telly? Is it worth dying for?”<br/>Lynda raised her voice to match his. “You're talking like we've got a choice!”<br/>  “But I thought you had to apply.”<br/>Strood spoke to the Doctor like he was a stubborn child. “Don't be so stupid. That's how they played it centuries back.”<br/>Lynda sighed. “You get chosen whether you like it or not. Everyone on Earth is a potential contestant. The transmat beam picks you out at random. And it's non stop. There are sixty Big Brother houses running all at once.”<br/>The Doctor froze. “How many? Sixty?”<br/>Strood hummed. “They've had to cut back. It's not what it was.”<br/>  “It's a charnel house! What about the winners? What do they get?”<br/>  “They get to live.” Lynda stated, surprised that he seemed to expect anything else. <br/>  “Is that it?”<br/>  “Well, isn't that enough?”<br/>The Doctor stood, tugging the sonic screwdriver from one of his pockets again. <br/>  “My friends are out there. My daughter is out there. They all got caught in the transmat so they’re all stuck in these deathtrap games. It’s time I got out, and time they did too. That other contestant, Linda with an I. She was forcibly evicted for what?”<br/>  “Damage to property.”<br/>  “What, like this?”<br/>He directed the sonic screwdriver up at one of the ceiling cameras, blowing it up. <br/>Less than a second later, the Davina-droid’s voice echoed again. <br/>  “The Doctor, you've broken the House Rules. Big Brother has no choice but to evict you. You have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're going to get you!”<br/>He grinned. “That's more like it. Come on, then. Open up!”<br/>  “You're mad! It's like you want to die.” Lynda stared at him in shock. <br/>Strood pulled a face. “I reckon he's a plant. He was only brought in to stir things up.”<br/>  “The Doctor, please leave the Big Brother house.”<br/>The door to the white corridor was barely half way open when the Doctor shoved his way past it, standing directly below the barrel of the disintegrator and shouting up at it. <br/>  “Come on then, disintegrate me! Come on, what're you waiting for?”<br/>  “He is, he's mad. He's bonkers.”<br/>  “Eviction in five, four, three, two, one.” The droid reached the last number, as it had done earlier, but this time nothing happened once the countdown was over. <br/>  “Ah, ha! I knew it! You see, someone brought me into this game. If they'd wanted me dead, they could've transmatted me into a volcano. So, they want me alive. Maybe security isn't as tight this end. Are you following this? I'm getting out!” <br/>Getting the outer door open was swift work, and he was ready to start the search for his friends when Lynda opened the inner door, looking between him and the interior of the Big Brother house. <br/>  “Come with me.”<br/>Strood crossed his arms and sat on the sofa once again. “We're not allowed!”<br/>  “Stay in there, you've got a fifty fifty chance of disintegration. Stay with me, I promise I'll get you out alive. Come on!”<br/>Lynda looked nervous, still afraid of the weapon in the ceiling. “No, I can't. I can't.”<br/>  “Lynda, you're sweet. From what I've seen of your world, do you think anyone votes for sweet?”<br/>Making her choice, she ran to the Doctor and took his hand, allowing him to lead her out of the game. </p><p>Grabbing Chefi’s hand in a gesture of solidarity, Eris smiled at the nervous girl and nodded at Ovek. <br/>  “Trust me, things will be fine.”<br/>She moved into position opposite Tosei, waiting for their letters to appear. Behind her, her teammates checked the note Eris had passed to Chefi. <br/>  “I’ll rewire the bomb. When it blows, run for the door. I’ll be right behind you.”<br/>The letters appeared. <br/>A  N  T  O  L  I  O  I  S <br/>  “Start the clock.” <br/>Each round they played, the bombs got harder to defuse in the time given, and Eris suspected that once they reached the last players, all but one of the bombs would be set up to be impossible to unwire. This round’s set of letters had a lot of potential, which meant she could focus on adjusting the timing of the bomb in order to provide a distraction. A quick glance up at Tosei revealed that her opponent was sweating profusely, working with shaking hands. She finished her corrections with seconds to spare and stepped away, relieved. <br/>  “Your words, please.” The droid turned to Tosei first. The woman seemed frustrated with herself, and it soon became clear why.<br/>  “Five letters. Stain.”<br/>Eris felt a mixture of relief and sadness. Her plan had relied on her winning this head to head, and she was certain that she had, but the outcome would still leave an innocent person dead. <br/>  “Nine letters. Isolation.” <br/>The droid took very little time to make its decision, and vaporised Tosei in an instant. <br/>  “Next round. Jima against Chefi.” <br/>Eris walked slowly back to the other end of the desk, waiting anxiously for the-<br/>BANG!<br/>Following the detonation, the studio descended into chaos as the room filled with yellow smoke, reducing the visibility to almost nothing. Acting quickly, Eris pulled Ovek and Chefi in the direction of the nearest door and attacked the lock, very aware of the crew members stumbling past them in the haze. She punched the access panel in frustration and was surprised when the mechanism released, opening the door to the corridor outside. Ushering her new friends through it, she had been about to follow before being stopped by the message that had appeared on the panel. <br/>  Authorisation: Enyo<br/>The rest of the message was too small to read but she was unable to risk remaining in the room any longer and left, closing the door behind her and placing a hand on the outer panel. The door locked. Unnerved, she stepped back and kicked through the panel, leaving it sputtering and smoking. The weight of a hand on her shoulder made her jump; she realised it was Ovek and relaxed. <br/>  “Are you both alright?” <br/>Chefi grinned. “Never better. What do we do now?” <br/>  “We find a computer. My dad and my friends are somewhere on this ship, and I’m not going anywhere without them.”<br/>Ovek spotted a terminal down the hall, and they ran for it, not daring to look back in case they were being followed. </p><p>The Doctor had come to an uncomfortable realisation. He and Lynda were standing in a large open space, staring at a large printed number 49 high on one of the walls. <br/>  “Hold on. I've been here before. This is Satellite Five. No guards. That makes a change. You'd think a big business like Satellite Five would be armed to the teeth.”<br/>He started using the sonic on some of the nearby doors and wall panels, rushing to and fro. <br/>Lynda laughed at him. “No one's called it Satellite Five in ages. It's the Game Station now. Hasn't been Satellite Five in about a hundred years.”<br/>  “A hundred years exactly. It's the year 200100. I was here before, Floor 139. The Satellite was broadcasting news channels back then. Had a bit of trouble upstairs. Nothing too serious. Easy. Gave them a hand, home in time for tea.” <br/>  “A hundred years ago? What, you were here a hundred years ago?”<br/>  “Yep!”<br/>  “You're looking good on it.”<br/>  “I moisturise.” He looked around him, ready to nudge Eris or Rose, knowing they’d appreciate the joke. His hearts dropped a little as he remembered their current situation. “Funny sorts of readings. All kinds of energy. The place is humming. It's weird. This goes way beyond normal transmissions. What would they need all that power for?”<br/>Lynda frowned, tilting her head to one side. “I don't know. I think we're the first ever contestants to get outside.”<br/>  “I had three friends travelling with me. They must've got caught in the same transmat. Where would they be?”<br/>  “I don't know. They could've been allocated anywhere. There's a hundred different games.”<br/>  “Like what?”<br/>Counting on her fingers, Lynda listed some of the viewing options the general public had available to them. <br/>  “Well, there's ten floors of Big Brother. There's a different House behind each of those doors. And then beyond that, there's all sorts of shows. It's non stop. There's Call My Bluff, with real guns. Countdown, where you've got thirty seconds to stop the bomb going off. Ground Force, which is a nasty one. You get turned into compost. Er, Wipeout, speaks for itself. Oh, and Stars In Their Eyes. Literally, stars in their eyes. If you don't sing, you get blinded.”<br/>The Doctor felt slightly ill. “And you watch this stuff?”<br/>  “Everyone does. How come you don't?”<br/>He shrugged. “Never paid for my licence.”<br/>  “Oh, my God! You get executed for that.”<br/>  “Let them try.”<br/>Lynda was astounded. “You keep saying things that don't make sense. Who are you though, Doctor, really?”<br/>  “It doesn't matter.”<br/>Lynda folded her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. “Well, it does to me. I've just put my life in your hands.”<br/>He smiled. “I'm just a traveller, wandering past. Believe it or not, all I'm after is a quiet life.”<br/>  “So, if we get out of here, what're you going to do? Just wander off again?”<br/>  “Fast as I can.”<br/>  “So, I could come with you?” She sounded hopeful, and the Doctor couldn’t bear the thought of hurting her feelings. <br/>  “Maybe you could.”<br/>  “I wouldn't get in the way.”<br/>  “I wouldn't mind if you did. Not a bad idea, Lynda with a Y. But first of all, we've got to concentrate on getting out. And to do that, you've got to know your enemy. Who's controlling it? Who's in charge of the satellite now?”<br/>  “Hold on.” Spotting a light breaker, Lynda reached over and turned it on, illuminating another large sign. Three large words - Bad Wolf Corporation. <br/>  “Your lords and masters.”</p><p>Still in the What Not to Wear studio, Jack had taken his time choosing a suitable outfit - as fun as it was being naked, he didn’t think his friends would appreciate him turning up like that. Well, two thirds of them probably wouldn’t. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt later, he was fiddling with the defabricator so he could take it with him. <br/>  “Compatible systems. Just align the wave signature. Attaboy! Got myself a gun. Well, ladies, the pleasure was all mine. Which is the only thing that matters in the end.” He sent a mock salute at the remains of the droids and left the studio. <br/>Getting into the first available lift, he used the vortex manipulator to scan for the Doctor; the alien’s distinctive biology would be far more obvious than that of their other friends. It chirruped encouragingly as it found what it was looking for. <br/>  “Two hearts, that's him. Which floor?”<br/>A number appeared, and he punched it into the lift, heading to meet the Doctor. </p><p>The Doctor had led Lynda through to an observation deck, and they both stood staring out at the planet below. Lynda was stunned by the sight. The Doctor was perturbed. <br/>  “Blimey! I've never seen it for real before. Not from orbit. Planet Earth.”<br/>Since he’d last been in this time period, the surface of the Earth had changed dramatically. Many of the familiar continental shapes were obscured by enormous grey clouds, and the land that was visible was far more grey than green. <br/>  “What's happened to it?” He frowned. <br/>  “Well, it's always been like that Ever since I was born. See that there? That's the Great Atlantic Smog Storm. It's been going twenty years. We get newsflashes telling us when it's safe to breath outside.”<br/>  “So the population just sits there? Half the world's too fat, and half the world's too thin, and you lot just watch telly?”<br/>  “Ten thousand channels, all beaming down from here.”<br/>  “The Human Race. Brainless sheep being fed on a diet of. Mind you, have they still got that programme where three people have to live with a bear?”<br/>  “Oh, Bear With Me. I love that one!”<br/>He laughed, remembering a particular episode he’d watched long ago. “And me. The celebrity edition where the bear got in the-”<br/>  “Got in the bath!” Lynda finished, grinning. <br/>He got back on topic. “But it's all gone wrong. I mean, history's gone wrong again. This should be the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. I don't understand. Last time I was here I put it right.”<br/>  “No, but that's when it first went wrong. A hundred years ago, like you said. All the news channels, they just shut down overnight.”<br/>  “But that was me. I did that.”<br/>  “There was nothing left in their place. No information. The whole planet just froze. The government, the economy, they collapsed. That was the start of it. One hundred years of hell.”<br/>The Doctor was stunned. “Oh, my... I made this world.”</p><p>They were silent for a time before a familiar American drawl sauntered through the doors.<br/>  “Hey, handsome. Good to see you!” Jack patted the Doctor on the back. “Any sign of the girls?”<br/>The Doctor turned to look at him. “Can't you track them down?”<br/>Jack shook his head. “I can try again, but there wasn’t any sign of either of them earlier. They must still be inside the games. All the rooms are shielded.”<br/>  “If I can just get inside this computer. She's got to be here somewhere.” He kicked the console stubbornly. <br/>  “Well, you'd better hurry up. These games don't have a happy ending.”<br/>  “Do you think I don't know that?” <br/>Jack passed the manipulator over. “There you go, patch that in. It's programmed to look for them.”<br/>  “Thanks.”<br/>Noticing Lynda properly for the first time, Jack turned on the charm. “Hey, there.”<br/>The girl blushed. “Hello.”<br/>  “Captain Jack Harkness.”<br/>  “Lynda Moss.”<br/>  “Nice to meet you, Lynda Moss.”<br/>The Doctor groaned. “Do you mind flirting outside?”<br/>  “I was just saying hello!”<br/>  “For you, that's flirting.”<br/>Lynda giggled. “I'm not complaining.”<br/>He kicked the console again. “It's not compatible. This stupid system doesn't make sense. This place should be a basic broadcaster, but the systems are twice as complicated. It's more than just television. This station's transmitting something else.” <br/>Jack stepped up and removed the front plate, messing with the internal wiring.  “Like what?”<br/>  “ I don't know. This whole Bad Wolf thing's tied up with me somehow. Someone has been manipulating my entire life, everywhere we’ve been. It's some sort of trap and Eris and Rose are stuck inside it.”<br/>An odd beeping from the vortex manipulator drew their attention and the Doctor magnified the image so it filled the screen of the console. It was a simplistic floor plan with three glowing life signs crowded around a block that probably represented a computer console. <br/>  “Is that us?” Lynda gasped. <br/>Jack shook his head. “Nah, floor plan is different. But who-”<br/>The Doctor cut him off with a bark of laughter. “Oh that girl, she’s so clever.” <br/>  “What?”<br/>  “Listen!”<br/>So he did, and soon found himself laughing just as the Doctor had done. <br/>  “Morse code. She’s broadcasting her name to the whole station looking for us.” <br/>  “Send a message back, Floor 49. I’ll keep scanning for Rose” <br/>Lynda was still out of the loop. “Who is it?”<br/>  “My daughter, Eris. She got out all by herself and by the looks of it she’s picked up some friends along the way. Aha!”<br/>The scan was complete.<br/>  “Found her. Floor 407.”<br/>Lynda gasped, grabbing his arm. “Oh, my God, she's with the Anne-Droid. You've got to get her out of there!”<br/>  “Jack, change the message. Get Eris to meet us up there.”</p><p>Now that the final round of The Weakest Link was underway, Rose was extremely nervous. She was at a considerable disadvantage, and she was no closer to finding a way out of the room than she had been when she had arrived. <br/>  “Rodrick, in history, who was the President of the Red Velvets?”<br/>  “Hoshbin Frane.” He answered with confidence, shooting looks at Rose every now and then as if to emphasise just how much better he thought he was. <br/>  “That is the correct answer. Rose, in food, the dish Gaffabeque originated on which planet?”<br/>  “Er, is it Mars?”<br/>  “No, the correct answer is Lucifer. Rodrick, which measurement of length is said to have been defined by the Emperor Jate as the distance from his nose to his fingertip?”<br/>  “Would that be a goffle?”<br/>  “No, the correct answer is a paab. Rose, in fashion, Stella Pok Baint is famous for what?”<br/>When Rose answered, it sounded more like she was asking a question in return. “Shoes?” <br/>  “No, the correct answer is hats. Rodrick, in physics, who discovered the Fifteen Dash Ten Barric Fields?”<br/>  “San Hazeldine.”<br/>  “No. The correct answer is San Chen.”<br/>One more question, and it would all be over. The round would be tied, or she would be as dead as the rest of the contestants. <br/>The Anne-droid looked her dead in the eyes. “Rose, in history, which Icelandic city hosted Murder Spree Twenty?”<br/>She took a moment to answer. “Reykjavik?”<br/>  “No, the correct answer is Pola Ventura.”<br/>Her heart sank as Rodrick celebrated next to her, inconsiderate of her feelings. <br/>  “Oh, my God! I've done it! You've lost!”<br/>There was nothing else she could do but plead. “But I'm not meant to be here. I need to find the Doctor, he's got to be here somewhere he's always here! He wouldn't just leave me!”<br/>The Anne-droid was blatantly ignoring her. “Rodrick, you are the strongest link, you will be transported home with one thousand six hundred credits.”<br/>  “Oh, thank you, thank you so much.”<br/>  “This game is illegal. I'm telling you to stop!”</p><p>There was a crash as the door was thrown open so hard that it bounced off the wall, and the Doctor burst into the room followed by Jack and Lynda. <br/>  “Rose! Stop this game!”<br/>Somehow, the Anne-droid didn’t seem to be aware of the intrusion.<br/>  “Rose, you will leave this life with nothing.”<br/>   “Stop this game! I order you to stop this game!”<br/>  “You are the weakest link.”<br/>Rose ran from the podium, dodging a few crew members. <br/>  “Look out for the Anne Droid, it's armed!”<br/>She barely finished her sentence before the Anne-droid fired and she disappeared, becoming nothing more than a pile of dust on the floor. <br/>Jack and the Doctor handled things very differently. As the Doctor sank to his knees, a hand in the dust, Jack grabbed the nearest crew member and wrapped his hands around their neck. <br/>  “What the hell did you do to her?”<br/>Security guards arrived and Jack turned his attention to protecting the mourning Doctor, shoving them away and threatening to use his gun on them. <br/>  “Back off! Don't you touch him! Leave him alone!” <br/>The Doctor was vaguely aware of a familiar figure collapsing to the floor next to him, clinging to his jacket and yelling threats at security. It took four people to drag Eris away from him, still turning the air blue with her choice of language, so that they could get to the Doctor. <br/>  “Sir, I'm arresting you under Private Legislation Sixteen of the Game Station Syndicate.”<br/>The guard kept talking, but the Doctor couldn’t hear him. His mind was elsewhere. </p><p>Inside a grimy holding cell, two guards were attempting to question the group of escapees. They’d managed to get Chefi and Ovek as well while they were waiting outside the game room, and shoved them in the cage with the others. Eris had one of the Doctor’s hands tightly in hers as they stared blankly ahead, blocking out the idiot in front of them. <br/>  “Can you tell us the purpose of this device, sir? Can you tell us how you got on board?”<br/>Lynda pulled a face at the man. “Just leave him alone!”<br/>  “I'm asking him. Sir? Can you tell us who you are?”<br/>Silence. <br/>  “You will be taken from this place to the Lunar Penal Colony, there to be held without trial. You may not appeal against this sentence. Is that understood?” <br/>When nobody answered him, the guard indicated to his colleague to let him out of the cage. The second man unlocked the door - and that’s when they took their chance. Jack surged forwards, closely followed by Ovek, and the two of them managed to knock both guards unconscious. Chefi and Eris stripped them of their weapons and retrieved the possessions that had been confiscated from them. The Doctor led the group to one of the lifts and worked a quick override on the controls, sending them all straight up to floor 500. </p><p>Once they had reached the right floor, Jack led the way out of the lift, brandishing a pair of automatic rifles at the staff members working there while the Doctor manned the defabricator. <br/>  “Okay, move away from the desk! Nobody try anything clever. Everybody get clear. Stand to the side and stay there.”<br/>They did as he asked, leaving a single figure unprotected against the far wall. The Doctor approached it, faltering slightly as he got close enough to see details. It was a young woman in a white gown, secured to the wall by cuffs at the wrists and ankles and swamped by wires and tubing. <br/>  “Who's in charge of this place?”<br/>She didn’t seem to hear him. “Nineteen, eighteen.”<br/>  “This Satellite's more than a Game Station.”<br/>  “Seventy nine, eighty.”<br/>  “Who killed Rose Tyler?”<br/>  “All staff are reminded that solar flares-”<br/>  “I want an answer!” He roared.<br/>  “Occur in delta point one.”<br/>A nervous looking man stepped away from the rest of the staff. “She can't reply. Don't shoot!” He held his hands up as the Doctor turned the defabricator on him. <br/>The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Oh, don't be so thick. Like I was ever going to shoot.” Throwing the weapon to the young man, the Doctor turned to Jack. <br/>  “Captain, we've got more guards on the way up. Secure the exits.”<br/>  “Yes, sir.” <br/>  “You. What were you saying?”<br/>The man looked bewildered. “But I've got your gun.”<br/>  “Okay, so shoot me. Why can't she answer?”<br/>  “She's… well... Can I put this down?”<br/>  “If you want. Just hurry up.”<br/>He rested the gun against the legs of one of the nearby desks. “Thanks. Sorry. The Controller is linked to the transmissions. The entire output goes through her brain. You're not a member of staff so she doesn't recognise your existence.”<br/>  “What's her name?”<br/>  “I don't know. She was installed when she was five years old. That's the only life she's ever known.”<br/>Jack returned. “Door's sealed. We should be safe for about ten minutes.”<br/>The Doctor nodded gratefully. “Keep an eye on them.”<br/>The young staff member directed the Doctor towards the computer bank.<br/>  “But that stuff you were saying about something going on with the Game Station. I think you're right. I've kept a log. Unauthorised transmats, encrypted signals, it's been going on for years.”<br/>Eris joined them. <br/>  “Show me.”<br/>An alarm blaring made them all jump, and they turned to see Jack trying to open a locked door. <br/>From the staff group, an Asian woman called over to him.<br/>  “You're not allowed in there. Archive Six is out of bounds.”<br/>  “Do I look like an out of bounds sort of guy?” Jack raised the guns to emphasise just how little he cared, and broke through the door. </p><p>  “Solar flare activity in delta point zero fifteen.”<br/>Tension had been growing in the room for a few minutes now. The young man, who had introduced himself as Davitch, was working through the past evidence of interference with Eris and the Doctor when the woman who had tried to stop Jack addressed them. <br/>  “If you're not holding us hostage, then open the door and let us out. The staff are terrified.”<br/>Eris raised an eyebrow. “That's the same staff who execute hundreds of contestants every day.”<br/>  “That's not our fault. We're just doing our jobs.”<br/>The Doctor stood upright and snapped at the woman so fiercely she took a step back.<br/>  “And with that sentence you just lost the right to talk to either of us. Now back off!”<br/>Around them, the lights dimmed and the computer screens burst into static. <br/>Davitch sighed. “That's just the solar flares. They interfere with the broadcast signal, so this place automatically powers down. Planet Earth gets a few repeats. It's all quite normal.”<br/>  “Doctor.”<br/>Chefi poked the Doctor in the shoulder softly. “Doctor?”<br/>  “Whatever it is, can it wait?” <br/>  “I think she wants you.” <br/>This time, he heard the Controller ask for him. <br/>  “Doctor? Doctor? Where's the Doctor?”<br/>  “I'm here.”<br/>  “Can't see. I'm blind. So blind. All my life, blind. All I can see is numbers, but I saw you.”<br/>  “What do you want?”<br/>  “Solar flares hiding me. They can't hear me. My masters, they always listen but they can't hear me now the sun, the sun is so bright.”<br/>He frowned. “Who are your masters?”<br/>  “They wired my head. The name's forbidden. They control my thoughts. My masters. My masters, I had to be careful. They monitor transmissions but they don't watch the programmes. I could hide you inside the games. Knew that you would find me.”<br/>The Doctor tried to keep his anger at bay. “My friend died inside your games.”<br/>  “Doesn't matter.”<br/>His voice dropped to a growl. “Don't you dare tell me that.” <br/>Eris rested a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him. <br/>  “They've been hiding. My masters have been hiding in the dark space, watching and shaping the Earth so, so, so many years. Always been there, guiding humanity, hundreds and hundred of years.”<br/>  “Who are they?”<br/>  “They wait and plan and grow in numbers. They're strong now. So strong, my masters.”<br/>  “Who are they?”<br/>  “But speak of you, my masters, they fear the Doctor.”<br/>  “Tell me, who are they?” <br/>With a soft whir, the power returned, and the Controller went back to her counting. <br/>  “Twenty one, twenty two.”<br/>The Doctor rounded on Davitch. <br/>  “When's the next solar flare?”<br/>  “Two years time.”<br/>  “Fat lot of good that is.”</p><p>Jack ran back into the main room, grinning wildly. <br/>  “Found the Tardis.”<br/>Dismissing him, the Doctor returned to the computer screen. “We're not leaving now.”<br/>  “No, but the Tardis worked it out. You'll want to watch this. Lynda, could you stand over there for me please?”<br/>Lynda had clearly had enough of the excitement by now. “I just want to go home.”<br/>  “It'll only take a second. Could you stand in that spot, quick as you can. Everybody watching?” Once he was certain he had everyone’s attention, he carried out his demonstration. “Okay. three, two, one.” <br/>A beam shot down from the ceiling and Lynda disappeared in a dreadfully familiar cloud of smoke. <br/>Eris was outraged. <br/>  “What the hell, Jack? You’ve just killed her!” <br/>  “Oh, do you think?” <br/>In response, he flicked a few switches on the same panel he’d used a moment ago and the beam appeared again, bringing Lynda back into the room a few feet away from where she had left it. Understandably, she looked a little shaken up. <br/>  “What the hell was that?” She panted, smiling appreciatively at Ovek, who’d vaulted one of the computer banks to make sure she wasn’t going to fall down. <br/>  “It's a transmat beam. Not a disintegrator, a secondary transmat system. People don't get killed in the games. they get transported across space. Doctor, Rose is still alive!” <br/>At Jack’s revelation the Doctor cheered and pulled him and Eris into a hug. When they broke apart the three of them were smiling wide enough to split their faces. </p><p>Eris grabbed Jack’s arm. <br/>  “What’s the scanning range on that wrist computer you’ve got?” <br/>  “Not sure, why?”<br/>  “If you had it keyed into Rose earlier, would it still be able to scan for her?” <br/>Realising Eris’ theory. Jack tugged the device from his wrist and laid it out on the desk in front of them. <br/>  “If we give it some extra juice from the computers, it might just work!” <br/>They set to work connecting the pieces of technology together, and had almost finished when the Controller broke from her pattern of counting to address the Doctor again. <br/>  “Doctor. Coordinates five point six point one-”<br/>He interrupted her, knowing what was at stake for her if she kept talking. <br/>  “Don't, the solar flare's gone. They'll hear you.”<br/>  “Point four three four. No, my masters, no! I defy you! Sigma seven seven-”<br/>She was taken in a puff of smoke, leaving the wires and tubes she had been hooked up to dangling limply from the walls. </p><p>Davitch rejoined their little cluster with a data pad, passing it to Jack. <br/>  “Look, use that. It might contain the final numbers. I kept a log of all the unscheduled transmissions.”<br/>  “Nice, thanks. Captain Jack Harkness, by the way.”<br/>  “I'm Davitch Pavale.”<br/>  “Nice to meet you, Davitch Pavale.”<br/>From the other side of the desk, the Doctor shot Jack a look. <br/>  “There's a time and a place.”<br/>The woman, Eshmi, was still trying to wrap her head around everything.<br/>  “Are you saying this entire set up has been a disguise all along?”<br/>  “Going way back. Installing the Jagrafess a hundred years ago. Someone's been playing a very long game, controlling the human race from behind the scenes for generations.”<br/>  “Got it!” Jack called the others over to look at the screen. “Click on this. The transmat delivers to that point, right on the edge of the solar system.”<br/>Eshmi frowned. “There's nothing there.”<br/>Ovek agreed. “Yeah, what are we meant to be looking at?” <br/>The Doctor started typing rapidly at the keyboard.<br/>  “It looks like nothing because that's what this satellite does. Underneath the transmission there's another signal.”<br/>  “Doing what?”<br/>  “Hiding whatever's out there. Hiding it from sonar, radar, scanner. There's something sitting right on top of planet Earth, but it's completely invisible. If I cancel the signal...” <br/>Eris adjusted a few of the settings and projected the display on their computer up onto one of the large holo-screens as the Doctor got around the cloak signal.<br/>A large, flattish flying saucer appeared, rotating menacingly. As they watched, the image zoomed out to reveal hundreds of the saucers, swarming in a quiet corner of the galaxy like carnivores waiting for their prey. Which was a pretty apt description. <br/>Eris looked like she was going to be sick. <br/>Jack swore. “That's impossible. I know those ships. They were destroyed.”<br/>  “Obviously, they survived.” The quiet heartbreak in the Doctor’s voice was worse than Jack’s anger and Eris’ fear. Despair rolled off the man in waves, and everyone in the room could feel it. <br/>Lynda spoke quietly, not wanting to aggravate him. “Who did? Who are they?”<br/>  “Two hundred ships. More than two thousand on board each one. That's just about half a million of them.”<br/>Davitch squinted up at the saucers. “Half a million what?”<br/>  “Daleks.”</p><p> </p><p>Another of the viewing screens was briefly overtaken by static fuzz before an image appeared. Rose was standing just behind one of the Daleks inside one of the many ships in the fleet. <br/>The Dalek’s grating metallic voice set Eris’ teeth on edge. “I will talk to the Doctor.”<br/>Having recovered a little from the shock of his worst enemy’s reappearance, the Doctor responded with as much sarcasm as he could muster. <br/>  “Oh, will you? That's nice. Hello!”<br/>  “The Dalek stratagem nears completion. The fleet is almost ready. You will not intervene.”<br/>He pulled a face. “Oh, really? Why's that, then?”<br/>  “We have your associate.”<br/>Rose had her arms folded protectively over her stomach as she stood in the corner, visibly trembling. <br/>The Dalek continued with it’s threats. “You will obey or she will be exterminated.”<br/>  “No.”<br/>Everyone standing in the control room turned to stare at the Doctor, bewildered. Everyone except Eris, who was using Jack’s vortex manipulator to discreetly send the coordinates of the ship that was calling them to the TARDIS console. <br/>  “Explain yourself.” It had taken the Dalek a moment to respond, as if the word the Doctor had uttered wasn’t in it’s vocabulary. <br/>  “I said no.”<br/>  “What is the meaning of this negative?” It’s voice increased in pitch significantly and the Doctor smirked. He’d got it rattled. <br/>  “It means no.”<br/>  “But she will be destroyed.”<br/>  “No! Because this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to rescue her. I'm going to save Rose Tyler from the middle of the Dalek fleet. And then I'm going to save the Earth, and then, just to finish off, I'm going to wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky!” <br/>He smiled coldly up at the screen, laughing mirthlessly when the Dalek backed away. <br/>  “But you have no weapons, no defences, no plan.”<br/>  “Yeah. And doesn't that scare you to death? Rose?”<br/>Her heart jumped when he said her name, and she peered around the Dalek’s domed head.<br/>  “Yes, Doctor?”<br/>  “I'm coming to get you.”<br/>And the transmission ended.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Parting of the Ways</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as the communication with the Dalek ship ended, floor 500 descended into sheer chaos. The group of staff had moved as far away from the screen as physically possible when the Daleks had appeared and were now talking anxiously amongst themselves, creating a soft hubbub of background noise that added to the sounds of the computer banks. Ovek, Lynda and Chefi were all trying fruitlessly to get a word in edgeways as the Doctor and Eris pieced out their plan at light speed. Even Jack was struggling to keep up with the flow of the conversation. When they both stopped for breath the four listeners bombarded them with questions, falling silent when Eris held a hand up, gesturing for them to stop. <br/>  “Jack, we’re going to need your help on the way to get Rose - the Daleks will be watching us as we get close to them and Dad’s convinced they’ll try and stop us.” When he nodded in response, Eris turned to their three newest friends.<br/>  “The station has emergency shuttles on board. While we’re gone, I need you three to help the staff to get everyone out of the games and onto the shuttles so you can get safe.” <br/>Ovek frowned. “What are you going to do when you come back here? There must be something we can do to help!” <br/>She reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder. “I appreciate the offer, but all you’d be doing here is getting in the way. Once we’re back here, the Daleks will follow us and they don’t care what’s in their path; they exterminate everything that isn’t a Dalek. The best you can do for us is to make sure that there’s nobody left in the Game Station by the time we get back.” <br/>It was clear that none of the humans liked this idea, but they all agreed to the plan. The Doctor finished having a similar conversation to the staff in the room and called Jack and Eris over, cutting short their goodbyes. <br/>  “We need to go.” </p><p>Once inside the TARDIS, Jack moved out of the way to let the Doctor have free reign of the console only to be dragged to an opposite panel by Eris to rewire the extrapolator. Unfortunately, the TARDIS wasn’t a big fan of the extrapolator and, the moment it was attached to her, started pitching violently from side to side. Neither the Doctor’s gentle cajoling nor Eris’ thinly veiled threats of dismantling things seemed to have an effect on the situation so they gave up, focusing on getting to their destination. A very petulant whine from the TARDIS indicated that the extrapolator was properly patched into the shields and Eris cheered. The Doctor directed Jack to the scanner. <br/>  “Keep an eye on the radar. Even with the extrapolator’s help we’ll need to get the boost timing spot on to deflect whatever they’ve got to throw at us.” <br/>  “Gotcha.” <br/>They had a few moments of relatively smooth flight before Jack spotted the incoming projectiles. <br/>  “We've got incoming!”<br/>Eris moved into position by the extrapolator as the Doctor fed extra power into the TARDIS shields. There was a tense second as they waited for- <br/>  “Now!” <br/>The Doctor flipped three levers in quick succession and slammed his hand onto a small green button. Simultaneously, Eris crossed a set of wires on the extrapolator and gave the board a harsh thump with her fist. All three of them watched, grinning, as the scanner showed the missiles exploding in the vacuum of space. <br/>  “The extrapolator's working. We've got a fully functional forcefield. Try saying that when you're drunk.” Jack snorted. <br/>The Doctor was stretching himself across three of the six console panels.<br/>  “And for my next trick!”<br/>They began to materialise, the faint outlines of Rose and - unfortunately - one of the Daleks growing more opaque by the second as the TARDIS came into existence in the exact same space. Realising that her surroundings were changing, Rose turned to face the Doctor as he shouted a warning. <br/>  “Rose, get down! Get down!”<br/>The Dalek aimed for the Doctor, “Exterminate!” but missed. As Rose dropped to the floor, Jack shot the Dalek with the modified defabricator, leaving half of its casing a smoking wreck in the doorway. </p><p>As she got to her feet again, Rose was vaguely aware of a slight scuffle occurring in front of her before she was lifted and spun in the tightest hug she’d ever felt. Once she was back on solid ground she could see Jack doubled over laughing while the Doctor glared at Eris, rubbing a spot on his ribs. Eris still had her arms around Rose, beaming from ear to ear. <br/>  “Hello there.”<br/>Rose matched her expression. “As nice as this is, it might be a good idea to let the Doctor have a hug as well before he glares a hole through you!”<br/>Eris finally let go and moved out of the way, smiling apologetically at her dad as he checked that Rose was ok before pulling her into a hug of his own. <br/>  “I told you I'd come and get you.” <br/>  “Never doubted it.”<br/>He cracked a smile “I did. You all right?”<br/>  “Yeah. You?”<br/>  “Not bad, been better.”<br/>Jack threw the defabricator to the floor, pouting. “Hey, don't I get a hug?”<br/>Rose rolled her eyes, stretching her arms out to him. “Oh, come here!”<br/>  “I was talking to Eris, but okay!” <br/>Both girls laughed as Jack swept Rose into his arms. <br/>  “Welcome home.”<br/>Rose was a little overwhelmed by the affection from her friends, but very grateful for it. <br/>  “Oh, I thought I'd never see you again.”<br/>  “Oh, you were lucky. That was just a one shot wonder. Drained the gun of all its power supply. Now it's just a piece of junk.”</p><p>The Dalek was still smoking next to them, producing an acrid stench that the TARDIS air conditioning was only just able to dispel. Knowing that the subject of this particular species was a painful one for the Doctor, Rose broached the topic carefully. <br/>  “You said they were extinct. How come they're still alive?”<br/>Jack nodded. “One minute they're the greatest threat in the Universe, the next minute they vanished out of time and space.”<br/>  “They went off to fight a bigger war. The Time War.” The Doctor looked gloomy, and Eris subtly shifted closer to him to provide comfort. <br/>Jack looked astounded. “I thought that was just a legend.”<br/>  “I was there. The war between the Daleks and the Time Lords, with the whole of creation at stake. My people were destroyed, but they took the Daleks with them. I almost thought it was worth it. Now it turns out they died for nothing.”<br/>Eris rested a hand on his back, drumming gently against the soft leather of his jacket. <br/>Rose looked grim. “There's thousands of them now. We could hardly stop one. What're we going to do?”<br/>The Doctor brightened, twisting his face into an artificial smile as he clapped his hands together and strode for the doors. <br/>  “Well, it’s no good standing around here chin wagging. Human race, you'd gossip all day. The Daleks have got the answers. Let's go and meet the neighbours.”<br/>  “You can't go out there!”<br/>But he had already thrown open the doors and left. </p><p>  “Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!”<br/>As the others joined him outside the TARDIS, they realised that they shouldn’t have been quite so worried. The rays fired by the Daleks were being deflected away by a forcefield around three metres in front of them and dispersing. Standing just inside their protective shield, the Doctor looked mildly disappointed by the display. <br/>  “Is that it? Useless! Nul points. It's all right, come on out. That force field can hold back anything.”<br/>  “Almost anything.” Jack muttered, and the Doctor pulled a face at him over his shoulder. <br/>  “Yes, but I wasn't going to tell them that. Thanks.”<br/>  “Sorry.”<br/>Turning back to face the Daleks, a note of steely menace crept into his tone.<br/>  “Do you know what they call me in the ancient legends of the Dalek Homeworld? The Oncoming Storm. You might've removed all your emotions but I reckon right down deep in your DNA, there's one little spark left, and that's fear. Doesn't it just burn when you face me? So tell me. How did you survive the Time War?”<br/>A deep, booming voice from a shadowed area behind the ranks of Daleks answered his question. “They survived through me.”<br/>Spotlights appeared in the dark and grew, intensifying until the shadows were gone, revealing a gigantic apparatus set against the far wall. It took up the whole wall, pieced together from large panels of the same metal that made up the casing of the Daleks, and surrounded a large cylindrical glass tank filled with some kind of liquid. Bobbing serenely inside was a sizable blue skinned mutant with one eye, which it was using to glare down at the intruders. <br/>Eris stiffened. “Is that what I think it is?”<br/>The Doctor nodded. “Rose, Captain, this is the Emperor of the Daleks.”</p><p>  “You destroyed us, Doctor. The Dalek race died in your inferno, but my ship survived, falling through time, crippled but alive…” <br/>Rose held back a laugh as the Doctor rolled his eyes at the Emperor’s monologuing. <br/>  “Yeah, I get it-”<br/>He was cut off by three of the Daleks closest to the forcefield. <br/>  “Do not interrupt.”<br/>  “Do not interrupt.”<br/>  “Do not interrupt.”<br/>  “I think you're forgetting something. I'm the Doctor, and if there's one thing I can do, it's talk. I've got five billion languages, and you haven't got one way of stopping me. So if anybody's going to shut up, it's you!” His voice rose to a roar at the end, and the closest Daleks backed away a little. Silence fell. “Okay, good. So, where were we?”<br/>The Emperor continued as if there had never been an interruption.<br/>  “We waited here in the dark space, damaged but rebuilding. Centuries passed, and we quietly infiltrated the systems of Earth, harvesting the waste of humanity. The prisoners, the refugees, the dispossessed. They all came to us. The bodies were filtered, pulped, sifted. The seed of the human race is perverted. Only one cell in a billion was fit to be nurtured.”<br/>  “So you created an army of Daleks out of the dead.”<br/>Rose was disturbed. “That makes them half human.”<br/>  “Those words are blasphemy!” The Emperor sounded enraged, and a series of white lights flashed along the length of the outer panels. Around them, the lamps on the heads of the Dalek troops flickered as the creatures spoke up in defence of their leader. <br/>  “Do not blaspheme!”<br/>  “Do not blaspheme!”<br/>  “Do not blaspheme!”<br/>The Emperor’s voice overlapped with theirs. “Everything human has been purged. I cultivated pure and blessed Dalek.”<br/>Eris whispered. “Since when did the Daleks have a concept of blasphemy?”<br/>  “I reached into the dirt and I have created a new form of life. I am the God of all Daleks!”<br/>The Daleks started up yet another chant. “Worship him. Worship him. Worship him.”<br/>Slowly stepping away from the boundary, the Doctor indicated for his friends to move closer to the TARDIS.<br/>  “They're insane. Hiding in silence for hundreds of years, that's enough to drive anyone mad. But it's worse than that. Driven mad by your own flesh. The stink of humanity. You hate your own existence. And that makes them more deadly than ever. We're going.”<br/>  “You may not leave my presence.”<br/>Ignoring the incessant cries of the Daleks and the Emperor’s demands to remain, the four of them turned around and ducked back inside the TARDIS, listening to the bolts bouncing off the shield once again.</p><p>The TARDIS had only just materialised back in the control room when Eris flew out of the doors, diving for the closest computer bank and tearing a panel away to expose the inside. Hot on her heels, the Doctor started giving orders to the few remaining Game Station staff, taking the role of a general commanding a platoon of soldiers with ease. <br/>  “Turn everything up. All the transmitters need to be at full power, wide open. Now! Do it!”<br/>Davitch frowned as he reached for the switches. “What does this do?”<br/>  “Stops the Daleks from transmatting directly on board, gives us a bit of time. How did you get on? Did you contact Earth?”<br/>  “Well, we tried to warn them, but all they did was suspend our license because we stopped the programmes.”<br/>The Doctor groaned. “And the planet's just sitting there, defenceless.” He glanced over to tell Jack what he needed from him when another familiar face caught his eye. <br/>  “Lynda, what're you still doing on board? I told you to evacuate everyone.”<br/>She smiled sheepishly. “Didn't want to leave you.”<br/>From the next computer bank along, Eshmi sighed. <br/>  “There weren't enough shuttles anyway, or I wouldn't be here. We've got about a hundred people stranded on Floor Zero.”<br/>A loud thud preceded Eris’ reappearance from inside the computer and she craned her neck up to look over the top at Eshmi, a little manic as she rubbed at her head where she’d hit it on the metal. <br/>  “What about Chefi and Ovek, did they get out?” <br/>Eshmi nodded. “They just about made it onto the last ship.”<br/>Sagging in relief, Eris returned to her meddling. Rose peered over her shoulder at the internal wiring, bewildered. <br/>  “What are you doing?”<br/>  “Trying to get around the restrictions on the transmat power system, give us some extra juice to work with.” <br/>Jack swore at the newest update from the scanners. Beside him, Davitch paled.<br/>  “Oh, my God. The Fleet is moving. They're on their way.”</p><p>The Doctor and Eris had made significant progress on the computer bank and left it little more than a mess of cables and circuit boards. Jack and Rose had done their best to help for the moment, but neither of them were in on the Doctor’s plan. They had tried to ask Eris when she finished her adjustments, but she seemed completely clueless about his plans as well.<br/>  “He didn’t stop to explain everything, there wasn’t time. Give it a minute, he’ll probably start rambling on about it anyway.”<br/>And sure enough, the Doctor revealed his big idea.<br/>  “Dalek plan. Big mistake, because what have they left me with? Anyone? Anyone? Oh, come on, it's obvious. A great big transmitter. This station. If I can change the signal, fold it back, sequence it, anyone?”<br/>Jack caught on first. “You've got to be kidding.”<br/>  “Give the man a medal.”<br/>  “A Delta Wave?”<br/>  “A Delta Wave!”<br/>Rose wished one of them would bother to stop and explain things fully - but often, coaxing an explanation out of them was harder than getting blood from a stone. “What's a Delta Wave?<br/>Jack grinned. “A wave of Van Cassadyne energy. It fries your brain. Stand in the way of a Delta Wave and your head gets barbecued.” <br/>The Doctor’s excitement was infectious. “And this place can transmit a massive wave. Wipe out the Daleks!”<br/>Lynda seemed to like the idea of that. “Well, get started and do it then!” Rose looked between her and the Doctor as the man smiled, a little jealous. Doing the maths, Eris was concerned about the time frame they were working with. <br/>  “Have you got time to set that up?”<br/>He hummed pensively. “There could be some trouble there. A wave this size, space station this big, brain as clever as mine, should take about... three days? How long have we got until the Fleet arrives?”<br/>Davitch’s voice shook. “Twenty two minutes.”<br/>The Doctor’s face fell. </p><p>Seven of the twenty two minutes had passed, and they were still struggling to come up with a viable plan. Jack, Rose, Eshmi and Davitch were huddled around one of the last remaining screens, looking over the schematics of the Game Station. <br/>  “We've now got a forcefield so they can't blast us out of the sky, but that doesn't stop the Daleks from physically invading.” Jack frowned at the image, grateful for the display but not finding it very useful. <br/>  “Do they know about the Delta Wave?” Davitch asked, dreading the answer. <br/>  “They'll have worked it out at the same time as we did. So, they want to stop the Doctor. That means they've got to get to this level, five hundred. Now, I can concentrate the extrapolator around the top six levels, five hundred to four nine five. So they'll penetrate the station below that at level four nine four and fight their way up.”<br/>  “Who are they fighting?”<br/>  “Us.”<br/>  “And what are we fighting with?”<br/>  “The guards had guns with bastic bullets. That's enough to blow a Dalek wide open.”<br/>Eshmi was unimpressed by this approach. “There's five of us.”<br/>From within the mess of electronics that had been pulled from the computer bank, the Doctor called over to them. “Rose, you can help me. I need all these wires stripping bare.”<br/>  “Right, now there's four of us.”<br/>Unbothered, Jack gave Eshmi and Davitch their next instructions. “Then let's move it. Into the lift. Isolate the lift controls.”<br/>Lynda walked until she was standing in front of the Doctor and cleared her throat, smiling awkwardly when he stood up. <br/>  “I just want to say, er, thanks, I suppose, and I'll do my best.”<br/>  “Me too.”<br/>For a moment, Rose watched as Lynda and the Doctor flustered over how to say goodbye, briefly appearing to attempt a hug before settling on a handshake. As Lynda got into the lift to head for Floor Zero, where Eris had told her to go, Jack joined his friends. A gun was slung over his back. <br/>  “It's been fun, but I guess this is goodbye.”<br/>Rose punched him in the arm. “Don't talk like that. The Doctor's going to do it. You just watch him.”<br/>  “Rose, you are worth fighting for.” He leant forwards and pressed a kiss to her lips. It was relatively chaste, but still left her blushing. <br/>Then, he turned to face the Doctor. “Wish I'd never met you, Doctor. I was much better off as a coward.”<br/>Rose’s eyes widened as Jack kissed the Doctor as well. She knew he was flexible when it came to… well, dancing, but she’d never seen him pull the moves in person before. <br/>When it came to Eris’ turn, Jack didn’t bother to make any sentimental comments before pulling her close, kissing her far more tenderly than the others. It was drawn out, gentle, and Rose felt like she had to avert her eyes. They separated, Jack still cupping her face as he spoke.<br/>  “Thanks for coming back for me. It’s been fun.”<br/>Eris smirked, patting his shoulder. “See you in hell, Captain.” <br/>He laughed and stepped back, saluting the three of them. “Not if I see you guys there first.” He jogged to the nearest lift and vanished from view as the doors slid shut. <br/>  “He's going to be alright, isn't he?” Rose chewed at her lip, nervous.<br/>Eris slung an arm around her shoulders. <br/>  “It’s Jack. He can handle himself just fine.”</p><p>Down on Floor Zero, Jack and Lynda were having very little success with recruiting help. They had explained the situation to the people stuck down there in the hopes of garnering some support, but the moment the word Dalek had been mentioned things had spiralled out of control. Unable to make himself heard over the frantic chatter, Jack clambered up onto a stack of crates and fired the gun several times into the air. The trick worked, and everyone turned to look up at him as he shouted. <br/>  “One last time! Any more volunteers? There's an army about to invade this station. I need every last citizen to mount a defence.”<br/>From the middle of the crowd, Rodrick scoffed loudly. <br/>  “Don't listen to him. There aren't any Daleks. They disappeared thousands of years ago.”<br/>A woman in Game Station uniform worked her way to the front of the crowd and nodded at Jack, moving to stand with the handful of people who had already agreed to help. Jack stepped down from the crates and addressed the rest of the crowd for the last time.<br/>  “As for the rest of you, the Daleks will enter the station at floor four nine four and as far as I can tell, they'll head up, not down. But that's not a promise. So here's a few words of advice. Keep quiet. And if you hear fighting up above, if you hear us dying, then tell me that the Daleks aren't real. Don't make a sound. Let's go.”<br/>Lynda led the volunteers to the nearest lift, avoiding eye contact with the people who were staying behind. Once everyone was in, Jack set the lift to go to floor 494, and the doors closed. </p><p>  “Suppose.”<br/>  “What?”<br/>Rose had started to voice her thoughts aloud, but stopped herself before it was finished. The Doctor paused his work, looking up at her. She shrugged. <br/>  “Nothing.”<br/>  “You said suppose.”<br/>  “No, I was just thinking. I mean, obviously you can't, but, you've got a time machine. Why can't you just go back to last week and warn them?”<br/>The Doctor shook his head. “As soon as the TARDIS lands in that second, I become part of events, stuck in the timeline.”<br/>  “Yeah, thought it'd be something like that”<br/>  “There's another thing the TARDIS could do. It could take us away. We could leave. Let history take its course. We could go to Marbella in 1989.”<br/>  “Yeah, but you'd never do that.”<br/>  “No, but you could ask. Never even occurred to you, did it?”<br/>Eris poked Rose in the leg from her position on the floor and grinned up at her. <br/>  “She’s far too good for that.”<br/>For a brief second, things felt normal. It almost felt like they were back on the TARDIS between adventures, joking about in the kitchen and having competitions over who could build the most elaborate structure out of food items. In that single moment, everything was okay.<br/>A shrill whine from the contraption the Doctor had cobbled together from bits of the computers broke the spell, and Eris leapt up to check the screen that she’d wired into the device. <br/>  “Dad, the Delta Wave has started building. I can’t work out how long it’ll take to build though.”<br/>He joined her at the console, and Rose watched as his face became grim.<br/>  “Is that bad?” Her heart sank as he ran a hand over his face. “Okay, it's bad. How bad is it?”<br/>The last thing either of the girls had expected him to do was leap from his seat and hug Rose, grinning wildly. For a moment, they both thought he’d lost his mind. <br/>  “Rose Tyler, you're a genius! We can do it. If I use the Tardis to cross my old timeline. Yes!”<br/>Then he was dragging her to the TARDIS, throwing the doors open and directing her to a lever on the far side of the console. <br/>  “Hold that down and keep position.”<br/>  “What's it do?” Rose did as he asked, buzzing with excitement at the idea that they might finally have found a way to make it work. <br/>  “Cancels the buffers. If I'm very clever and I'm more than clever, I'm brilliant, I might just save the world. Or rip it apart!”<br/>  “I'd go for the first one.”<br/>  “Me too. Now, I've just got to go and power up the Game Station. Hold on!”<br/>Sprinting from the TARDIS and closing the doors behind him, the Doctor failed to realise that Eris had crept into the ship unnoticed, suspecting that her dad hadn’t quite been truthful with Rose. Outside, the Doctor pointed the sonic screwdriver at his beloved ship, hand shaking, and pressed the button. He found himself unable to watch as it dematerialised and returned to the nest of cables, reassuring himself with the notion that Rose would be safe back on Earth. </p><p>  “Doctor, what are you doing? Can I take my hand off? It's moving.”<br/>There was no response. Leaving the console to tug fruitlessly at the doors, Rose quickly realised that she was stuck inside. <br/>  “Doctor, let me out!”<br/>  “That’s not going to work.”<br/>Rose whipped around to see Eris working the controls, her face set in a grim frown. <br/>  “What are you talking about? Let me out! Doctor, what've you done?”<br/>When she didn’t get a proper answer, Rose tried using her whole body weight to wrench at the door handles, with little success. Meanwhile, Eris was fighting a losing battle with the TARDIS console. A familiar voice stopped them both in their tracks and they turned, eyes settling on a holographic projection of the Doctor. <br/>  “This is Emergency Programme One. Rose, now listen, this is important. If this message is activated, then it can only mean one thing. We must be in danger. And I mean fatal. I'm dead or about to die any second with no chance of escape.”<br/>  “No!” Frozen on the entry ramp, Rose was distraught at the thought of her best friend’s death.<br/>  “And that's okay. Hope it's a good death. But I promised to look after you, and that's what I'm doing. The Tardis is taking you home.”<br/>  “I won't let you.”<br/>The projection kept talking. “And I bet you're fussing and moaning now. Typical. But hold on and just listen a bit more. The TARDIS can never return for me. Emergency Programme One means I'm facing an enemy that should never get their hands on this machine. So this is what you should do. Let the TARDIS die. Just let this old box gather dust. No one can open it. No one'll even notice it. Let it become a strange little thing standing on a street corner. And over the years, the world will move on and the box will be buried. And if you want to remember me, then you can do one thing. That's all, one thing. Have a good life. Do that for me, Rose. Have a fantastic life.”<br/>As the hologram flickered out of existence, Rose lunged for the spot it had been projected to, furious.<br/>  “You can't do this to me. You can't. Take me back! Take me back! No!”<br/>Swallowing her own distress, Eris grabbed Rose before she could fall to the floor and hurt herself.<br/>  “Rose. Rose! Listen to me. I’m going to do everything I can to get us back, okay?” <br/>When the blonde managed a nod, Eris let go and returned to the controls, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall as her hands shook. Despite her best efforts, the age-old noise of the landing procedure reverberated through the main room before grinding to a stop, the engine dying down quietly. As Rose sprinted for the doors and tore them open, revealing the greyness of the Powell Estate outside, Eris sank to the floor with her back to the console. Rose came back and tripped over Eris’ outstretched legs as she did so, dropping to the floor next to her friend. <br/>  “You have to help me, please. You can fly her, you can take her back there! Come on, please!”<br/>  “I can’t. I really can’t. <br/>  “I’ve seen you fly her before, you can do it!” <br/>Eris couldn’t stop herself from snapping in response.<br/>  “She’s dead! The TARDIS has shut herself down completely and there’s no way of changing that. I can’t fly a ship that doesn’t have power, Rose, and right now the TARDIS is just one dimension crammed inside another.” Her voice cracked. “There’s nothing I can do.”</p><p>  “Rose. Rose!” <br/>Recognising the voice that shouted her name, Rose dragged herself out to the street and collided with an ecstatic Mickey. <br/>  “I knew it! I was all the way down Clifton Parade, and I heard the engines. I thought, there's only one thing that makes a noise like that.” Holding his arms out for a hug, Mickey’s smile faded when he saw the look on Rose’s face. “What is it?”<br/>She leant into him and sobbed into his shoulder, unable to hold the grief back any longer. Over Rose’s shoulder, Mickey could see Eris slumped on the floor, drumming a regular beat against her leg anxiously as she stared at the floor. </p><p>Things were not going well. Co-operating across the six floors between them, Jack and the Doctor had just about managed to extend the extrapolator shielding and protect the top floors, but they hadn’t got much further than that. And time was running out. Jack’s voice crackled over the intercom.<br/>  “Rose, I've called up the internal laser codes. There should be a different number on every screen. Can you read them out to me?”<br/>The Doctor’s voice was flat as he answered. “She's not here.”<br/>  “Of all the times to take a leak. When she gets back, tell her to read me the codes.”<br/>  “She's not coming back.”<br/>  “What do you mean? Where'd she go?”<br/>Sighing, the Doctor closed his eyes, unable to get the image of Rose’s confused face out of his mind. “Just get on with your work.”<br/>  “You took her home, didn't you?”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>Jack sighed. “Get Eris to read them for me then.” Silence. “Doctor?” <br/>Upstairs, the Doctor was standing frozen in the middle of the control room, his hearts in his stomach as something finally occurred to him. Since he had sent Rose home, it had been quiet. Far too quiet. <br/>  “She’s gone too.”<br/>  “What? Look, sending Rose away was a smart move, but Eris? Why send her?”<br/>  “I didn’t. She must have followed Rose into the TARDIS.” The Doctor groaned, slamming his hands down on the nearest clear space. “She must have realised it was a trick and tried to figure out what I was planning.”<br/>  “Okay. Never mind that now, Doctor we’ve got bigger problems. The Delta Wave - is it ever going to be ready?”</p><p>Behind the Doctor, one of the view screens flickered into life and the image of the Emperor of the Daleks appeared. Somehow, the creature’s expression was smug. <br/>  “Tell him the truth, Doctor. There is every possibility the Delta Wave could be complete, but no possibility of refining it. The Delta Wave must kill every living thing in its path, with no distinction between human and Dalek. All things will die by your hand.”<br/>Jack put two and two together, and the result he reached was alarming. <br/>  “Doctor, the range of this transmitter covers the entire Earth.”<br/>  “You would destroy Daleks and Humans together. If I am God, the creator of all things, then what does that make you, Doctor?”<br/>He sounded resolute. “There are colonies out there. The Human Race would survive in some shape or form, but you're the only Daleks in existence. The whole Universe is in danger if I let you live. Do you see, Jack? That's the decision I've got to make for every living thing. Die as a human or live as a Dalek. What would you do?”<br/>Pausing to think, Jack told him what he wanted to hear. <br/>  “You sent her home. She's safe. Keep working.”<br/>The Emperor seemed to take great pleasure in gloating over their impending doom.<br/>  “But he will exterminate you!”<br/>  “Never doubted him. And do you know what? I never will.”<br/>Boosted by Jack’s faith in him, the Doctor asked the Emperor the question that had been bothering him since the words had first appeared. <br/>  “Now, you tell me, God of all Daleks, because there's one thing I never worked out. Two phrases. Bad Wolf and Enyo, spread across time and space, everywhere, drawing me in. How'd you manage that?”<br/>  “I did nothing.” The Emperor, for the first time, seemed clueless.<br/>  “Oh, come on, there's no secrets now, your worship.”<br/>  “They are not part of my design. This is the Truth of God.”<br/>The transmission ceased, leaving the Doctor even more in the dark than he had been to start with. If the Daleks weren’t behind it, then who was?</p><p>After the dazzling wonders of space, Rose found the Powell Estate to be achingly grey and ordinary. Once she had managed to choke out a rough explanation of what had happened, Mickey phoned Jackie and arranged to meet her in a cafe a couple of streets away. It had taken some effort, but he’d managed to convince Rose to leave the TARDIS. Eris closed the doors, lingering at the frame for a moment before falling into step with Mickey. He’d tried to start a conversation, get a bit more information out of her, but she didn’t seem to be able to tell him anything more than Rose had. <br/>Jackie was delighted to see her daughter again, even if she was in a foul mood. She was glad to see Eris too - she much preferred her to the Doctor, and the fact that Rose hadn’t come home alone was reassuring. Although, the expressions on both girls’ faces were worrying her. Mickey had ordered food for the four of them, but he and Jackie were the only ones eating. Rose was fidgeting constantly, unable to sit still for longer than five seconds. Eris was drumming again, tapping against the table absentmindedly as she watched the rotisserie chickens turning behind the counter. <br/>  “It's gone up market, this place. They're doing little tubs of coleslaw now. It's not very nice. It tastes a bit sort of clinical.” Jackie poked at the offending side dish with a plastic fork, nose wrinkling a little at the taste. <br/>Mickey hummed thoughtfully. “Have you tried that new pizza place down Minto Road?”<br/>  “What's it selling?”<br/>  “Pizza.”<br/>  “That's nice. Do they deliver?”<br/>  “Yeah.”<br/>Jackie couldn’t hold back her sigh any longer. “Oh, Rose, have something to eat. Please, sweetheart.”<br/>Rose’s voice was flat. “Two hundred thousand years in the future, he's dying, and there's nothing I can do.”<br/>  “Well, like you said two hundred thousand years. It's way off.”<br/>  “But it's not. It's now! That fight is happening right now, and he's fighting for us, for the whole planet, and I'm just sitting here eating chips.”<br/>  “Listen to me. God knows I have hated that man, but right now, I love him and do you know why? Because he did the right thing. He sent you back to me. Eris, back me up here, you know it was the right move.”<br/>Eris nodded. “There was no other choice.”<br/>  “How can you say that when he sent you away too?!” Rose snapped. <br/>  “Because he didn’t!” Eris paused, breathing deep to calm herself. “The message from the hologram was only meant for you. He set that up for you, specifically. I wasn’t supposed to follow you into the TARDIS but I knew he wasn’t being honest with you.”<br/>Jackie reached across the table to squeeze Rose’s hand.<br/>  “He just wanted you to be safe, love.”<br/>  “But what do I do every day, mum? What do I do? Get up, catch the bus, go to work, come back home, eat chips and go to bed? Is that it?”<br/>Mickey shrugged. “It's what the rest of us do.”<br/>  “But I can't!”<br/>  “Why, because you're better than us?” His voice took on a mocking note and she backtracked quickly.<br/>  “No, I didn't mean that. But it was.. it was a better life. And I don't mean all the travelling and seeing aliens and spaceships and things. That doesn't matter. The Doctor showed me a better way of living your life. You know he showed you too. That you don't just give up. You don't just let things happen. You make a stand. You say no. You have the guts to do what's right when everyone else just runs away, and I just can't… I can’t do this!” <br/>Stumbling, Rose shoved her chair back and ran out of the cafe. Eris turned to watch her leave, before returning her gaze to the counter. </p><p>Two hundred thousand years in the future, in a small observation gallery on floor 499, Jack was guiding Lynda through the things he needed her to do. <br/>  “Right, Lynda, you are my eyes and ears. When the Daleks get in, you can follow it on that screen and report it to me.”<br/>  “Understood.”<br/>  “They'll detect you but the door's made of Hydra Combination. It should keep them out.”<br/>Lynda didn’t like the sound of that. “Should?”<br/>  “It's the best I can do. How long till the Fleet arrives?”<br/>Davitch’s answer was the exact opposite of what Jack wanted to hear.<br/>  “They've accelerated.”<br/>  “Then this is it, ladies and gentlemen. We are at war!”<br/>Running from the gallery, Jack had only just made it back to the others of floor 499 when Lynda contacted him. <br/>  “You were right. They're forcing the airlock on 494. They’re coming in.”<br/>Jack opened up the radio channels to cover everyone on the top floors. <br/>  “Stand your ground, everyone. Follow my commands. And good luck.”</p><p>Mickey and Eris found Rose sitting on a bench next to a decrepit play area, scuffing the toes of her shoes against the tarmac. Cautiously, Mickey sat next to her, slightly worried that she’d have a go at him again. <br/>  “You can't spend the rest of your life thinking about the Doctor.”<br/>  “But how do I forget him?”<br/>  “You've got to start living your own life. You know, a proper life, like the kind he's never had. The sort of life that you could have with me.”<br/>Ignoring the second part of Mickey’s reasoning, Rose looked over to Eris. She was frowning at something on the ground. <br/>  “How did you do it? When he brought you back the first time?” <br/>  “Bad Wolf.”<br/>  “What?”<br/>Eris dragged Rose to her feet and pointed to the graffiti on the floor. Bad Wolf, in letters two metres high. Bad Wolf, splashed across the floor in too many places to count. Bad Wolf, over and over and over again. <br/>  “It’s on the walls too, look!” Rose could just about make out the familiar letters under the layers of other spray paint, but it was still there. <br/>Mickey didn’t understand the importance of the message.<br/>  “That's been there for years. It's just a phrase. It's just words.”<br/>  “I thought it was a warning. Maybe it's the opposite. Maybe it's a message. The same words written down now and two hundred thousand years in the future. It's a link between me and the Doctor. Bad Wolf here, Bad Wolf there.”<br/>  “But if it's a message, what's it saying?”<br/>Rose smiled. “It's telling me I can get back. The least I can do is help him escape.”<br/>Pulling Eris with her, she ran back to the TARDIS. </p><p>By the time Mickey had caught up with the girls, they were hunched over the TARDIS console together trying to figure out what they could do.<br/>  “All the Tardis needs to do is make a return trip. Just reverse whatever the Doctor programmed in the first place.”<br/>Mickey wasn’t convinced. “Yeah, but we still can't do it.”<br/>  “Eris?”<br/>  “It could work. Maybe. But I can’t make any promises. I don’t know exactly what he’s done, and knowing him it’ll be complicated to undo.” Eris tapped at the scanner, sagging as it remained unresponsive.<br/>Rose had confidence. “Either way, the Doctor always said the Tardis was telepathic. This thing is alive. It can listen.”<br/>Mickey groaned. He’d forgotten just how stubborn Rose could be. “It's not listening now, is it?”<br/>  “We need to get inside it. Last time I saw you, with the Slitheen, this middle bit opened, and there was this light, and the Doctor said it was the heart of the Tardis. If we can open it, I can make contact. I can tell it what to do.”<br/>  “Rose.”<br/>  “Yeah?”<br/>  “If you go back, you're going to die.”<br/>  “That's a risk I've got to take, because there's nothing left for me here.”<br/>Eris winced at the look of pain in Mickey’s eyes, and she wished Rose had chosen her words a little more considerately.<br/>He was quiet. “Nothing?”<br/>  “No.”<br/>  “Okay. If that's what you think, let's get this thing open.”</p><p>He was only gone for a few minutes, and returned in his car with Jackie in the passenger seat, a long length of chain coiled in her lap. Unsurprisingly, Jackie hated the idea of them trying to find a way back to the Doctor, but she knew that neither of them would stop trying whether they had help or not. Rose helped Mickey link the chain to the TARDIS console and the tow bar on the back of his car while Eris set the controls for dematerialisation. If everything went to plan - and that was a pretty big if - the console would open and the heart of the TARDIS would be released, giving enough energy to the controls to get them back to the Game Station. Of course, there were around a thousand things that could go wrong, but they were all doing their best not to think about that. Mickey slid into the driver’s seat and started the car, shouting at the others to make sure they were out of the way. He drove forward slowly, not wanting to put too much tension on the chain so early on. <br/>  “Faster!” Rose was impatient, and Mickey put his foot down. <br/>The chain was now fully taut between the two vehicles, and smoke was billowing upwards from the rear wheels. Unfortunately, the console was unyielding.<br/>  “It's not moving!”<br/>With a harsh cracking sound the chain snapped, the momentum causing the separate parts to slice through the air. Eris dragged Rose backwards just before the chain could catch her across the face. Nodding her thanks, Rose moved to check the TARDIS console, kicking the underside in frustration when she realised that it hadn’t shifted. </p><p>From the relative safety of floor 499, Jack listened to Lynda’s updates on the Daleks’ progress and the information from the volunteers on 495. <br/>  “Defences have gone offline. The Daleks’ have overridden the lot.” The end of Lynda’s sentence was mingled with the sounds of gunfire as the volunteers tried to take the Daleks down. Unfortunately, the gunfire faded away very quickly, and one of the volunteers barely managed to shout at Jack down the intercom before being exterminated. <br/>  “You lied to us! The bullets don't work!”<br/>Lynda groaned. “The advance guard has made it to 495.”<br/>The Doctor joined the conversation.<br/>  “Jack, how are we doing?”<br/>Grinning, Jack switched all of the viewing screens over to the security cameras.<br/>  “495 should be good. I like 495.”<br/>They watched as three Daleks rolled into the main area of floor 495 and came face to face with the Anne-droid. <br/>  “Identify yourself!” The Dalek in the middle twitched it’s gun arm as it interrogated the unfamiliar figure. The Anne-droid’s response was short. <br/>  “You are the weakest link. Goodbye!”<br/>And in quick succession, the droid had vaporised the group, leaving piles of dust on the floor.<br/>Their victory was short-lived as the next Dalek to enter blew the droid’s head off before it could do any more damage. <br/>Noticing a new development, Lynda switched the intercom on again. <br/>  “They're flying up the ventilation shafts. No, wait a minute. Oh, my God. Why're they doing that? They're going down.”<br/>The Daleks flew all the way down to the bottom of the station and reached floor 0 within a few minutes. Then, the killing started. Lynda covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face as she heard the awful fizzing static of the weapons being fired, and the screams of the people as they were slaughtered. Unable to stand it any longer, she turned off the sound and radioed through to the Doctor. <br/>  “Floor Zero. They killed them all.”</p><p>Mickey’s car was still smoking a little from the strain of the pull against the TARDIS console, so he and Eris popped the bonnet and gave it a chance to cool down, fiddling with a few bits that looked like they needed fixing as they did so. The last thing they wanted was to wreck his car and lose the one thing that could possibly help them out. Inside the TARDIS, Jackie and Rose were sitting on one of the bench seats by the railing. Rose was utterly dejected, and doing a very bad job of hiding it. Jackie was doing her best to help her see things in a more positive light. <br/>  “It was never going to work, sweetheart. And the Doctor knew that. He just wanted you to be safe.”<br/>  “I can't give up.”<br/>  “Lock the door. Walk away.”<br/>  “Dad wouldn't give up.”<br/>Jackie’s voice softened. “Well, he's not here, is he? And even if he was, he'd say the same.”<br/>  “No, he wouldn't. He'd tell me to try anything. If I could save the Doctor's life, try anything.”<br/>  “Well, we're never going to know.”<br/>  “Well, I know because I met him. I met Dad.” Rose’s temper was beginning to bubble to the surface again, and she squeezed the edge of the seat hard to try and ground herself. <br/>  “Don't be ridiculous.”<br/>  “The Doctor took me back in time, and I met Dad.”<br/>A slight growl crept into Jackie’s tone; clearly some things were a step too far for her to believe.<br/>  “Don't say that.”<br/>  “Remember when Dad died? There was someone with him. A girl, a blonde girl. She held his hand. You saw her from a distance, Mum. You saw her! Think about it. That was me. You saw me.”<br/>  “Stop it.”<br/>  “That's how good the Doctor is.” Her voice cracked as the combined memories of meeting her dad and her time with the Doctor became too much to handle. <br/>  “Stop it! Just stop it!” Unable to listen any longer, Jackie stormed out of the TARDIS, leaving Rose to cry alone in the console room. </p><p>Things were not going well on the Game Station. Everyone on the lower floors was dead, the majority of the Dalek fleet were targeting the unprepared planet below them, and the Delta Wave wasn’t yet finished. <br/>  “Lynda! What's happening on Earth?” The Doctor was hoping for good news on that front, but had a feeling he wasn’t going to get it. <br/>  “The Fleet's descending. They're bombing whole continents. Europa, Pacifica, the New American Alliance. Australasia's just gone.”<br/>Hearing the exchange and knowing that the Daleks were heading their way, Jack addressed the handful of surviving volunteers that had barricaded themselves behind pieces of doors and scrap metal. <br/>  “Floor 499, we're the last defence. The bullets should work if you concentrate them on the Dalek's eyestalk. I've got the forcefield at maximum so Dalek fire power should be at its weakest.”<br/>Almost on cue, the Daleks appeared at the opposite end of the hall.<br/>  “Open fire!”<br/>Even with constant firepower from all of the volunteers, the Daleks were unaffected. <br/>Davitch leant past Eshmi to snarl at Jack. “It's not working!”<br/>  “Concentrate your fire! Eyestalk, two o'clock!”<br/>He did so, and the sound of puncturing metal made them cheer. <br/>  “My vision is impaired! I cannot see!”<br/>  “We did it!” Eshmi turned to grin at Jack, but the celebration was short-lived as one of the Daleks found a gap in their defences and fired, killing her. Davitch howled with rage and clambered on top of a barrel to fire over the top at the Daleks, leaving himself completely exposed and disregarding Jack as he shouted for him to get down. He only got a few shots off before he was hit. As the last man alive, Jack made a run for it, relying on the makeshift barriers they had set up to slow the Daleks down enough for him to get up to floor 500. </p><p>Fully aware that Jack and the Doctor were both extremely busy, Lynda tried to get in touch with them both. “I've got a problem. They've found me.”<br/>The Doctor did his best to reassure her. “You'll be alright, Lynda. That side of the station's reinforced against meteors.”<br/>  “Hope so! You know what they say about Earth workmanship.” She forced a laugh, trying not to distract him too much from his work. At the door to the observation gallery, the sound of popping metal made her heart sink. The Daleks were torching their way through the door. From the corner of her eye she could see familiar shapes rising into view at the window, and turned to see a trio of Daleks hovering outside. One fired, breaking the glass. Lynda didn’t even get to take a breath to scream before she was pulled out of the station into the blackness of space. <br/>Before the Doctor had a moment to mourn her, Jack’s voice came over the speakers <br/>  “Last man standing! For God's sake, Doctor, finish that thing and kill them!”<br/>In front of him, the viewscreen switched itself on to reveal the blobby face of the Emperor. <br/>  “Yes, Doctor. Finish that thing and kill mankind.”</p><p>  “There's got to be something else we can do.”<br/>Mickey, Eris and Rose were leaning against the closed doors of the TARDIS. <br/>Rose sighed, leaning her head back against the blue wood with a soft thud.<br/>  “Mum was right. Maybe we should just lock the door and walk away.”<br/>Eris scoffed. “Not happening. If you want to go, go. But I’ll die trying to get back there.”<br/>Mickey nodded in agreement. “I'm not having that. I'm not having you just, just give up now. No way. We just need something stronger than my car. Something bigger. Something like that.”<br/>An incredulous smile broke out on their faces as a large yellow recovery truck pulled around the corner with Jackie in the driver’s seat. Gracefully climbing down from the cab, Jackie pointed a warning finger at the three of them.<br/>  “Right, you've only got this until six o'clock, so get on with it.”<br/>  “Mum, where the hell did you get that from?” Rose couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. <br/>  “Rodrigo. He owes me a favour. Never mind why, but you were right about your dad, sweetheart. He was full of mad ideas, and it's exactly what he would've done. Now, get on with it before I change my mind.”<br/>Chucking the keys to Mickey, Jackie stood back and watched as Rose attached a new chain to the TARDIS console and Eris returned to the controls once again. Putting his foot down and revving the truck as hard as he could, Mickey put as much force into pulling against the ship as physically possible. Minutes passed and still, nothing had happened. Suddenly, there was a moment of hope as the console cracked open a few inches and the truck jolted forwards. But the chain could only handle so much tautness and snapped, slamming the console panel closed again. Mickey and Jackie made a beeline for the TARDIS, fully expecting the girls to be distraught, when Eris shouted to them from beside the scanner. <br/>  “Stop! She’s given us just enough energy to dematerialise her, we can go back for him!” At the look of distress on Jackie’s face, she smiled reassuringly.<br/>  “We’re coming back. No matter what, I will get her home. Do you trust me?”<br/>The minutest of nods was all Eris needed, and she got Rose to close the doors for her while she was using the tiny spark of hope they had been given to get them moving again. Outside, Jackie and Mickey watched morosely as the TARDIS dematerialised. Now, all they could do was wait. </p><p>Rose couldn’t help but stare at the point where the console had opened so briefly. Eris was circling the controls like an anxious whirlwind, completely ignoring her presence so she could focus on the difficult task of getting them back to where they had been. She couldn’t help but wonder, would it be easier if they had a little more power? Maybe the panel was still loose enough to lift! Reaching out to the same panel that had opened before, Rose was only vaguely aware of Eris’ warning as her hand rested against it.<br/>  “Don’t touch it, it might not be-”<br/>Her hearing faded as her vision was replaced with a bright golden light, before everything became very peaceful, warm and calm. </p><p>For Jack, things had gone from bad to worse in a very short time. The Daleks following him had broken through the barricade like it was made of butter and had been pursuing him relentlessly all the way up to the lift that would get him back to floor 500. And now, he had run out of bullets. Not knowing if he would be heard, Jack called out to the Doctor. <br/>  “Doctor, you've got twenty seconds maximum!”<br/>Stopping a few metres in front of him, the Daleks aimed their weapons at his chest. <br/>  “Exterminate.”<br/>He shrugged, resigning himself to his fate. “I kind of figured that.”<br/>The force of the combined blasts hurled Jack’s body against the doors of the lift and he crumpled to the floor, dead. <br/>The Doctor’s final touches to the Delta Wave were completed in the same moment that the Daleks streamed through the doors, cutting off every exit and surrounding him completely. Ignoring their presence, he spoke directly to the Emperor. <br/>  “You really want to think about this, because if I activate the signal, every living creature dies.”<br/>  “I am immortal.”<br/>  “Do you want to put that to the test?”<br/>  “I want to see you become like me. Hail the Doctor, the Great Exterminator.”<br/>  “I'll do it!”<br/>  “Then prove yourself, Doctor. What are you, coward or killer?”<br/>Resting his hands against the lever, he found that he simply couldn’t bring himself to directly cause the death of so many others. Not again. <br/>  “Coward. Any day.”<br/>  “Mankind will be harvested because of your weakness.” The Emperor was clearly gloating now, having decided that it had already won. <br/>  “And what about me? Am I becoming one of your angels?”<br/>  “You are the heathen. You will be exterminated.”<br/>  “Maybe it's time.”<br/>He let his eyes close and focused on all of the good memories he had made. It had been a good run, really. He’d made some wonderful friends along the way, and seen some incredible things. And for all those centuries, there had been his two constant companions. Eris, sweet strange Eris who had an untold lifetime’s worth of exploring to do and wanted to see everything. And his TARDIS, more like a family member than a mode of transport, she-<br/>His eyes opened again in shock as the familiar sound of his beloved TARDIS materialising behind him filled the room. Usually, the sound was one that inspired joy, but at that moment it filled him with dread. After all the effort to make sure Rose was safe, she had found her way right back into the middle of the danger. </p><p>Horrified, the Doctor watched as the TARDIS doors opened and Rose stepped out, silhouetted in gold as her eyes glowed with an inhuman shimmer. Eris ducked out behind her and nodded back towards the console, confirming her dad’s worst fears. The heart of the TARDIS was exposed. <br/>  “What've you done?”<br/>Rose’s voice was almost singsong as she answered. “I looked into the Tardis, and the Tardis looked into me.”<br/>  “You looked into the Time Vortex. Rose, no one's meant to see that.”<br/>The Emperor was enraged. “This is the Abomination!”<br/>One of the Daleks that had formed the cordon around the Doctor fired at Rose.<br/>  “Exterminate!”<br/>But she simply raised a hand and absorbed the beam, unharmed. <br/>  “I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself. I take the words, I scatter them in time and space. A message to lead myself here.”<br/>Forced to keep his distance because of the sheer power surging through his best friend, the Doctor could do nothing but beg. “Rose, you've got to stop this. You've got to stop this now. You've got the entire vortex running through your head. You're going to burn.”<br/>  “I want you safe. My Doctor. Protected from the false god.”<br/>On the viewscreen, the Emperor bubbled angrily in his tank. “You cannot hurt me. I am immortal.”<br/>  “You are tiny.” Rose sneered. “I can see the whole of time and space. Every single atom of your existence, and I divide them. Everything must come to dust. All things. Everything dies. The Time War ends.”<br/>She waved her hand and the same golden light that surrounded her ate into the casing of every Dalek - both the ones with them on floor 500 and the ones on the saucers in the fleet - gradually dissolving them until they faded into nonexistence. Even the Emperor itself was being affected, the golden light working its way towards the creature from it’s exterior casing. <br/>  “I will not die. I cannot die!” It couldn’t get another word out; the power of the vortex had reached its fleshy component and quickly overpowered it. As the entire fleet was engulfed by the energy, the video communication fizzled out, leaving the screen blank. Rose had single handedly managed to destroy an entire battle fleet of fully armed Daleks without even touching them. </p><p>Unfortunately, the energy didn’t seem to want to leave Rose’s body. If anything, the glow had brightened since the Daleks’ deaths. Eris offered a hand to her friend, hoping she would take it.<br/>  “Rose, you've done it. Now stop. Just let go.”<br/>  “How can I let go of this? I bring life.”<br/>  “But this is wrong! You can't control life and death.”<br/>Rose took a breath in preparation to answer before faltering, raising a hand to her throat in confusion. Something was blocking her voice. Taking the opportunity that had just arisen, Eris grabbed both of Rose’s hands, ignoring the Doctor shouting for her to stop as she pressed her forehead to Rose’s. He watched, shaking, as the golden energy of the vortex drained from Rose and flowed through his daughter, intensifying until it was almost blinding. Once the transfer was complete, Eris stumbled backwards and Rose dropped to the floor, sprawling out unconscious among the wires. For a moment, everything felt very still. </p><p>The Doctor moved one pace forwards, holding his hands out placatingly as he did so.<br/>  “Eris? Love, you need to let it go. It’s going to burn you up just as easily as it destroyed those Daleks.” <br/>  “No, I don’t think it will.”<br/>He froze. That wasn’t his daughter’s voice.<br/>  “Eris?”<br/>  “In a sense, yes.”<br/>  “What’s that supposed to mean?”<br/>Her posture and mannerisms were completely different to normal, and the soft accentless inflections of her voice had been replaced by a flat coldness. <br/>  “I am part of her. There is no need to worry - she will not burn as you fear she will.”<br/>  “Can she hear me?”<br/>  “No. Nor can she hear me. I have been present in her soul since her creation and yet she is entirely unaware of my existence. Or, my significance” <br/>He frowned. “Who are you?”<br/>Her smile was visibly artificial. “I am information. I have no name.” <br/>  “What sort of information?” <br/>  “I am the detail of her existence. She will soon become necessary, and must know of her purpose. The Enyo Campaign requires her.” <br/>His eyes widened as the implications hit him. “So she was right. Enyo is linked to her.”<br/>The lack of emotion in the chuckle that left his daughter’s mouth made him shudder. <br/>  “Enyo is her. Its whole main principle is the core of her being.”<br/>  “And what principle is that?” <br/>  “Peace. Balance. Eternal positive change.” <br/>He moved closer again, no longer caring if the energy of the vortex could do him any damage. He just wanted her to be safe. <br/>  “When the vortex lets her go, will she still be in the dark about all of this? It’s her life, she’s wanted to know why she is the way she is ever since she figured out she was different.”<br/>This time, the smile was almost kind.<br/>  “She will know. Not everything, but the things that we have discussed today will be made clear to her.”<br/>  “So there’s more?”<br/>  “There is always more. But that can wait. She is not required just yet, and the Eternals do not like to give out information before it is essential.”<br/>Before he could ask another question, Eris doubled over, gasping for breath. When she straightened up again, the Doctor could tell that something had changed. <br/>  “Dad?” Her voice was little more than a whimper, she was terrified and disorientated, but she was back. <br/>Knowing what he needed to do, he let her stumble forwards into his arms and held her tight, ignoring the burning pain that accompanied the vortex as it moved into him instead. <br/>  “It’s alright. I’m here, I promise. Everything is gonna be fine.” <br/>Feeling her slump against him, the Doctor knew the power transfer was complete and angled himself so he was directly facing the TARDIS console. Exhaling gently, he gave the energy back to the ship, sighing in relief when the console closed properly again. </p><p>A soft groan from the floor indicated Rose’s awakening, and the Doctor somehow managed to help both her and Eris into the TARDIS while being in significant pain. Both girls were very dazed, Eris bordering on unconsciousness, and he set them down on the floor by one of the coral columns so he could move to the other side of the console and fly them home. He needed to keep his distance for what was about to happen. </p><p>  “What happened?” Rose stared up at the Doctor, shaking her head slightly. <br/>  “Don't you remember?”<br/>  “It's like there was this singing.”<br/>He grinned. “That's right. I sang a song and the Daleks ran away.”<br/>  “I was at home. No, I wasn't, I was in the Tardis, and there was this light. I can't remember anything else…”<br/>She struggled to her feet, not noticing pain flare across the Doctor’s face. <br/>  “Rose Tyler. I was going to take you to so many places. Barcelona. Not the city Barcelona, the planet Barcelona. You'd love it. Fantastic place. They've got dogs with no noses. Imagine how many times a day you end up telling that joke, you know the one, and it's still funny.”<br/>  “Then, why can't we go?”<br/>  “Maybe you will, and maybe I will. But not like this.”<br/>  “You're not making sense.”<br/>Behind her, Eris pulled herself upright with the help of the coral buttress and made eye contact with her dad, nodding silently. She knew what was coming. <br/>He was still rambling. “I might never make sense again. I might have two heads, or no head. Imagine me with no head. And don't say that's an improvement. But it's a bit dodgy, this process. You never know what you're going to end up with-”<br/>Hunching over in pain, he groaned and propped himself up on the console for support. <br/>  “Doctor!”<br/>Rose moved to help him but was held back by Eris, the other girl’s grip surprisingly strong around her waist considering that she had been knocked out a moment ago. <br/>  “Stay away!”<br/>  “Doctor, tell me what's going on.”<br/>  “I absorbed all the energy of the Time Vortex, and no one's meant to do that. Every cell in my body's dying.”<br/>  “Can't you do something?”<br/>He managed a laugh. “Yeah, I'm doing it now. Time Lords have this little trick, it's sort of a way of cheating death. Except it means I'm going to change, and I'm not going to see you again. Not like this. Not with this daft old face. And before I go-”<br/>  “Don't say that!”<br/>Eris shushed her, knowing he didn’t have much time left to say his momentary goodbyes. <br/>  “Rose, before I go, I just want to tell you, you were fantastic. Eris, hang in there for me, okay? Because you’re absolutely fantastic too, as you always are. And do you know what? This time, so was I.” </p><p>A bright golden light, not dissimilar to the light of the vortex, engulfed the Doctor and exuded from his head and limbs, obscuring him from view completely. Squinting against the glare, Rose had to turn away; the energy being given off was too much to handle. Almost as quickly as it had appeared, the light faded, leaving the room much darker than before. Looking up, Rose was alarmed to see that the man standing there in the leather jacket was not the Doctor. Turning to Eris, she was even more surprised by how calm her friend seemed to be. Her dad had just vanished and a stranger had appeared, and she looked totally unphased. This new man was taller, skinnier, and looked ridiculous in the Doctor’s clothes. His hair reminded her of a hedgehog - or maybe a child who’d stuck their fingers in a plug socket. When he spoke, he sounded very much like Eris, with a dash more London in some words. </p><p>  “Hello. Okay. Oh, new teeth. That's weird. So, where was I? Oh, that's right. Barcelona!”</p>
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